PART I. Shewing the Growth of Popery in England, under the Reign of the late King Charles.

TO demonstrate the Growth of Popery in this King­dom, as the first Occasion of all our late Distracti­ons, I shall begin at the Head, and come up to the Original Cause.

All the World knows, that the Ruin of the Protestants, and the Inslaving all Europe, have been the two grand De­signs of the Reign of Lewis XIV; the first influenced by an in­fused blind Zeal, and the last being the product of his own in­satiable and boundless Ambition. To the first he was prompted by those Spiritual Engineers, the Jesuits, who ever made it their business to set the World in a Combustion. And the last he attempted, to please his own Humour, and gratifie his excessive Pride.

The Holy Cabal had resolv'd upon the Extirpation of the Protestant Heresie. And such has been the effect of their Inchanting Eloquence, and reputed Skill in Politicks, that they are in a manner become Companions for Princes and Crown­ed Heads of the Roman Communion.

In point of Conscience they are their usual Directors, and their Decisions are to them as Laws and Oracles. 'Tis there­fore no wonder that the French King, being inspirited by these Men, should follow their Directions. Whose Confessors be­ing of that Order always indulged him in his Criminal Courses, with Assurances of Salvation, if he did but apply himself with Zeal and Fervency to so meritorious a Work as the Extinguishing the Protestant Heresie. This forsooth would make him the Favourite of Heaven, and an Immortal Prince on Earth.

Infatuated with these Delusions he struck in with the Society, subscribed to their Dictates, and resolved upon their Project. In short, he dispos'd all things to purchase Heaven with a Hel­lish Zeal, and to improve his Fame upon Earth with the in­famous Character of a Tyrant and Persecutor. His Protest­ant Subjects, to whom he owed his Elevation on the Throne, he undermined during several years, and by degrees weakened their Party, till he thought fit at last to pull off the Mask, and to fall foul upon them.

Abroad he had his Agents to inspire other Princes with the same Unchristian Zeal, and put them upon the same Methods of Cruelty, for promoting of a Religion whose Principles chiefly tend to make the Clergy Great and the Laity Slaves. Hungary, Bohemia, Poland, and Piemont not long since, have felt the fury of this Spirit of Persecution. And England by his means was like, but few years ago, to feel the same Calami­ty; so near it was to fall a Sacrifice to the ambitious De­signs of Popery, and with its fall to carry the Ruin of all the Protestant Interest in Europe.

That the Design was laid in the Reign of King Charles is apparent by the Growth of Popery here, whilst he swayed the Scepter. And for this we may thank our unhappy Ci­vil Wars in the Reign of King Charles I. when that good King being put to death by a prevailing Party, and the Roy­al Family dispersed thereupon into Popish Countries, the Prin­ces of the Royal Blood were easily poysoned with Popish Insi­nuations, that the only Way for their Restauration, and to Reign Arbitrarily, was to imbrace, or at least to favour the Roman Religion.

Tho' I am not fully satisfyed, that King Charles II. was ever actually▪ Reconciled to the Roman Church, (whatever has been reported to the contrary) but rather that he was too clear-sighted to think well of her Principles; yet it is plain, by the whole Series of his Reign, that he made his Government as easy and favourable to the Roman Party as his Circumstances would allow, and that he gave 'em all possible Incouragement. But, as he was a Prince naturally inclined to Clemency, and abhorrent from Cruelty; so this Proceeding of his was rather look'd upon as an Effect of his good Nature, than of any Design upon the Protestant Interest of these Kingdoms. If we reflect u­pon the Course of his Life during his Reign, it seems his Aim was to please all Parties, that he might injoy himself, and Reign in Quietness. But still he kept to an outward Profession of the Reformed Religion, as by Law established, and from time to time soothed up his Parliaments with solemn Protestati­ons of his faithfulness to their Religion and Liberties.

Such was the Posture of Affairs in his Reign, that tho' he would not himself bring in Popery downright, yet he made the way smooth for it. For, whilst he minded his Amours more than the Government, the Thieves stole in, and grew upon us. Who being countenanced by his Brother the Duke of York, a Prince more daring and gone over to the Roman Church, began now to build all their Hopes upon him.

The King having no Issue by the Queen, and in process of time no hopes of any by her, the Duke remained the Heir ap­parent, and was consequently lookt upon as the Rising Sun. On whom His Majesty, too much given to Ease and Pleasure, dis­burdened himself of the active and troublesom part of the Government, which he left in a great measure to his Care. Thus his R. H. had a fair Opportunity to gratifie the Roman Party, and improve their Interest here, whilst the King con­nived at i [...]. And, tho' [...]e did not openly profess himself a Papist, his forsaking at last the Church of England wherein he was bred and born, and espousing so much as he did the Po­pish Interest, sufficiently evidenced his being of that Commu­nion.

The King being a Prince bigotted to no Religion, but link­ed to the French Interest, gave him a great Latitude. And this was so far improv'd by the French King, that in the In­terview [Page 4]which happened at Dover Anno 1670 between our King, his Brother, and their Sister the Dutchess of Orleans, a Treaty was there managed by the Dutchess between both Kings, whereby the French King did promise King Charles to Subject his Parliament to him, and to Establish the Roman Reli­gion in his Kingdom. In order to which the Hollanders must first be brought down, and both Kings joyn in Arms to make them incapable of being any longer a Support or Refuge for Protestants. Delenda est Carthago.

In short, Anno 72, the Storm broke out upon Holland, that Nest of Hereticks. And in two Campaigns we saw that Po­tent State, at that time our only Rival upon the Ocean, brought by the French King's Land Forces to the last Extremity; whilst we harassed them at Sea, and fought them, but without any great Advantage on our side. We had indeed a Frenchy Squa­dron in conjunction with our Fleet, but their business (it seems) was not to fight. All their Care was to be Spectators of our Fights at a convenient distance, and to see if the English did their Duty well. In the mean time they learnt the Art of our Sea-fights, and had the satisfaction to see these two Protestant Nations thus weaken one another, which was the French King's chief Aim.

This Conduct of the French at Sea, with the amazing Pro­gress of their Arms by Land, happened to open our Eyes. For till then we were possessed of the Justice of the War on our side, considering the many Provocations of the States, as they were mustered in the King's Declaration. We could not imagine, that King Charles had any other Design than to curb their Pride, and lessen their Power at Sea, for the benefit of our Trade and Navigation; in order to which a little help, tho' from France, was not thought amiss. The Dover-Treaty lay then under the Rose, and we knew not what Snake lay in the Grass.

The King, wanting Mony to prosecute the War, convened his Parliament. The Danger we were in by the apparent Ruin of a Neighbouring State of the same Religion with us, and now become (with our help) a Prey to the French, came soon under Debate. The Parliament voted a Peace with the States. And the King, finding no Mony was to be had without it, yielded to their Desire, and made a separate Peace. This [Page 5]startled King Lewis; who from this very time concluded, that King Charles was not to be relyed on for the execution of that grand Religious Design he had been so long big with­al. And, to be even with him for his Desertion in this War, he caused not long after the Dover Treaty to be published with his Priviledge, by the Abbot Primi, in his History of the War with Holland; whereby he chiefly designed to make the King odious to his People.

The Duke of York upon this was look'd upon as the fit­ter Person for the Project in hand, who wanting neither Zeal nor Ambition, was a Vessel altogether prepared and mould­ed for his purpose. Whereas King Charles was like the Church of Laodicea, neither Cold nor Hot, and therefore to be spu­ed out.

The Dutchess of Orleans, or rather the French King by her means, had sent to King Charles a French Curtain Sollici­tor, but a true Member of the Holy Church, as a Pledge (or Memorandum) of the Dover Treaty. Who, for her close and faithful Commerce with the King, was made D. of P.

The same Care he took of his R. H. to keep him in a right Cue, and steady to his Principles; but by way of Marriage. So that he was both Procurer, and Match-maker. The Match was Mary the late Duke of Modena's Daughter, an Italian Princess of no great Fortune, but of an Ancient Family, and (which was most to the purpose) a Princess intirely devoted to the present Interest.

The Duke had been three Years and a half a Widower. And, as the Case stood, there was a Necessity for his R. H. to venture on a second Match, that the Succession to the Crown might be Intailed either by Nature or Art to an Heir Male. The Lady Mary and the Lady Ann, his two Daughters by Ann his first Wife, were bred and born Pro­testants, and such were not for the present Turn.

King Charles, who was sensible how unacceptable this Match was to his People, and fearing some ill Consequences of it up­on himself, resolved however to dispose of his Royal Nieces, and to Marry them to Protestant Princes, to allay the Jea­lousies and Fears from this New Match. Which indeed were something the less, for the then common Opinion, That His Royal Highness was too much Frenchifi'd to [Page 6]get any durable I [...]ue. To the Lady Mary was given in Mar­riage to the Prince of Orange, Anno 1677; and the Lady Ann to Prince George of Denmark, in the Year 1683.

But, few days after the Lady MARY was married to the Prince of ORANGE, the Dutchess of YORK was brought to bed of a Son, created Duke of Cambridge; who dying in four or five days, the Popish Faction had but a short Joy of it.

In the mean time his R. H. being the next Heir to the Crown, and the Papists resolved not to lose this Opportunity, turned every Stone to make their Party good, by Plotting and Conspiring even with Authority against the Government. The KING was healthful, and of a strong constitution, but wanted zeal or boldness to secure their Interest. The DUKE was zealous and bold, but wanted a sound Body. In short, ac­cording to all humane probability, the KING by the strength of Nature was the most likely to live.

These Considerations were like enough to give Birth to that famous Conspiracy, which upon its breaking out made so great a Noise in the World, I mean the Popish Plot. And, tho I cannot believe it in all its Branches, as made out by Dr. Oates, yet in the main 'tis more than probable, that there was a Plot on foot against the Government.

Mr. Coleman, the Dukes Secretary's, intercepted Letters, are a sufficient Proof of this; who kept, as appears by those Let­ters, a close Correspondence with Father La Chaise (the French King's Confessor) for the Extirpating the Protestant Religion in these Kingdoms, under the name of the Northern Heresy. That to Extirpate imports a violent Act, is a thing undeniable. So that the Roman Religion was not to come in by fair means, or by way of persuasion, but by force and violence. And 'tis like a great deal more of that wicked Design had appeared, if amongst Coleman's latest Letters for two years and a half that were brought to White-Hall, many had not been there sup­prest, and kept from the sight of the Parliament. Yet, upon his Trial, he openly avowed the Design of Subverting the Prote­stant Religion, wherein he owned himself a subordinate Mini­ster.

This Plot kept for a while the Papists under Hatches, and forced the Duke himself (upon the King's Command) to with­draw for some time out of the Kingdom; so that he went first [Page 7]to Flanders, and afterwards to Scotland. Mean while the House of Commons, who lookt upon him as the great Abettor and Sup­porter of the Popish Interest, went so far as to attempt his Ex­clusion from the Crown▪ But, as vigorously as it was carried on in the House of Commons, it was quashed in the House of Lords by the Church of England Party, which stood stifly for the Succession.

The Tide now began to turn, and the Popish Party to have a fair Prospect. The Duke was called home; and His Maje­sty disbanded Parliament after Parliament, in hopes to get a healing one. But, failing thereof, he published a plausible Declaration touching the Causes that moved him to Dissolve the two last Parliaments. Which, being read in all Church­es and Chappels, did very much strengthen the Court Party, and turned the Hearts of many People against the late Pro­ceedings of the House of Commons, as having over-short the Mark.

Which House, consisting most of Dissenters, gave a Jealou­sy to the House of Lords, and indeed to all the Church-Party, that under colour of rooting out Popery, they design'd nothing less than the Ruin of the Church, and so to kill two Birds with one Stone. The Dissenters on the other side, seeing the Church Party so stiff for the Dukes Right to the Succession, tho upon the Grounds of Justice and Equity, fail'd not to clamour against them as Abettors of Popery, and Papists in Mascarade. In short, the Fewd grew so great between both Parties, row distinguished by the Nicknames of TORIES and WHIGS, that, had not his Majesty (who now bestirred himself in these difficult Times) prevented it by his great Care and Wisdem, it had certainly broke out into a Flame.

In the mean time these unhappy Differences gave fair play to the Papists, who know best how to fish in troubled Wa­ters. The Popish Plot grew now out of date, and lost much of its Credit. Then up starts another, called the Presbyteri­an Plot, which proved fatal to several Persons of Quality, and others of a lower Rank. The King, now exasperated in the highest degree against the Dissenting Party, ordered the Penal Laws to be put in execution, which made the Breach so much the wider betwixt Them and the Church Party. And, whilst the poor Dissenters lay under the lash, an offici­ous [Page 8]sort of Church of England Ministers made it their business to preach the stupid Doctrine of Non-Resistance, with as much Zeal and Fervency as if there had been no Salvation without it. Which some were hired for with a Promise of Church-Preferment, whilst others did it meerly to shew their Parts; but all wonderfully to the purpose of the Roman Catholick Party, and to help forward the Designs of the next Reign. The City of London, which had strongly appeared against the Dukes Interest, was now called to an Account, and a Writ of Quo Warranto (a dreadful piece of Latin, before which no Reason could stand) issued out against them, to take away their Charter; which was accordingly done. Then other Corpo­rations were prevailed upon fairly to surrender their Charters, in expectation of new ones, whereby all their Magistrates and Officers were dependant upon the King's Will. And, by the Duke's Interest, many false Protestants were got into Places of Trust, who upon the push would be ready to join with the Papists, and lend them their helping hands.

Thus all Things were finely prepared against his Majesties Exit, to make room for his Brother. And, which is observa­ble, at the very time when the King was resolved to sift out some Miscarriages, and much inclined to call a new Parliament, an odd kind of Fit seiz'd upon him, which in four days time bereav'd him of his Life and Crown.

Thus died King Charles, a Prince who was neither a sound Papist, nor a zealous Protestant. Admired for his great Saga­city, beloved for his Clemency, and the fittest Prince in the World to Reign, had not his over-Indulgence to Ease and Plea­sures made him averse from Business. In which unhappy Tem­per he was too much followed by his Subjects of both Sexes.

THE HISTORY Of the LATE REVOLUTION.
PART II. Shewing Our Imminent Ruin in the Reign of the late King James; With an Account of the suppos'd Great Belly.

KING Charles being dead (the Lord knows how) some wept upon his Tomb for Joy, but most for Sorrow. The Popish Party were the most concerned in the first, and the Protestants (whatever he was) in the last. We were but threatned before with the Danger of a Popish Succession, now we had it. The Papists had a blessed (but doubtful) pros­pect of it, and now they were in possession.

To Secure which, the Blood of the deceased King was hard­ly chilled in his Veins, when his next Successor James Duke of York was Proclaimed King at White-hall and in the City, in great haste, that no Man might pretend Ignorance. So that King Charles was scarce gone off the Stage, when his Brother, to play the last Act, enters, and ascends the Throne.

No Prince more courteous, more obliging, or more promi­sing at first, than he was to his new Subjects, but particularly [Page 10]to the Church of England Party. He came in like a Lamb, but reigned like a Lion, and followed in all things the Steps of King Lewis. Not but that he had innate Vertues of his own, but none that could stand proof against the precipitate Sug­gestions of the Roman Clergy, and the irresistible Influence of those hot-brain'd States-men the Jesuites.

So great was the Opinion of his Justice and Valour, when Duke of York, that many Protestants durst rely upon his Justice, and most promised themselves great Matters from his Valour. Especially when, upon his Accession to the Crown, he decla­red to his Council, that he would protect and favour the Church of England, for her unshaken Loyalty; and to his Parliament, that he would carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors.

Upon these Assurances he allayed for some time the Fears of his Protestant Subjects, but especially the Church of Eng­land; which thereupon Addressed him from all Parts of the Kingdom, as their Tutelar Angel. In short, so great on a sud­den were the Hopes of this King, that Edward III, and Hen­ry V. the most glorious Monarchs of England, were like upon his Account to be hissed out of our English Chronicles.

But it was not long before he pulled off the Mask. And first to gratifie the Roman Catholick Party, he declar'd him­self of their Communion, and made open Profession of it. Which some Protestants lookt upon as a good Omen, and the product of a generous Soul above Dissimulation; whilst others more clear-sighted lookt upon it as an effect of a wilful Na­ture, that thought it needless to Dissemble, now the Power was in his own hands.

To Establish his Religion here was, I confess, a difficult Task, considering how small the Popish Party was, the Pro­testants then (by the best Computation) being reckon'd 200 to one. But the Advantage of a Crown is a great Bait, and has a mighty Influence. The Hopes of worldly Preferment, and the Dread of Majesty, would in all probability draw in a great Party. Besides what was expected, by way of Per­suasion, from the Industry and Activity of Popish Emissaries. Nor do I doubt, but the King promised himself great Mat­ters from the Church of England Party, which having ventu­red [Page 11]so much to secure his Succession, would not (as he thought) recoil, and leave him now in the lurch, who so lately had made unto them new Protestations of his particular Favour and Protection. The Dissenters were then under the lash of the Law, and not without some apprehension of the French. Thus, with this prospect of Things, the King fell presently to work, by feeling first under-hand the Pulse of Men in Credit and Authority amongst his Protestant Subjects.

But, whilst he was taken up with these gentle Motions, a Storm was raised all of a sudden in Scotland, by the late Earl of Argile; and at the same time another in the West of Eng­land, by the late Duke of Monmouth. Who both appeared in Arms with their Parties in their several Stations; but so unsuccessfully, that, after the loss of many Mens Lives in the Field, they lost their own upon the Scaffold. These two Rebellions, which startled so much the Popish Party, till they saw the Issue of it, gave them a great Advantage, and raised their Expectations of Success to an Infallibility. The King had now a great Army on foot. And tho the VVork was done for which the same was raised, yet he would not part with it; but kept it still on foot, contrary to Law, for his further Designs, and to keep the Nation in aw.

For the Preservation of our Laws, Religion, and Liberties, it was provided by the Wisdom of our Parliaments, upon the Growth of Popery in the late King's Reign, That all Persons appointed to bear any Office in Church or State should de­clare themselves to be not Papists, but Protestants, by taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and the Test, and receive thereupon the Sacrament according to the Church of England. But, upon the Raising of the foresaid Army, the King was pleased to protect against those Laws many Popish Officers that served in the Army, without taking the Oaths. And in his Speech to both Houses of Parliament, on the 9th of Novemb. 1685, he told the Parliament in plain words, That, though the said Officers were not Qualified according to the late Tests for their Employments, yet he would neither expose them to Disgrace, nor himself to the Want of them. And, tho the Parliament did highly except against it, as an open Violation of those Laws which were our main Bulwark against Popery, yet his Maje­sty [Page 12]would by no means recede from his Word. A Debate was held to dispence those Unqualified Officers then act [...]ally in Service with the Fenalty of the Law, provided no more were admitted. But this would not serve the King's turn. Who, to prevent any further Heats about it, prorogued the Parlia­ment t [...]ll Feb. 10 following; and so put it off by further Pror [...]gations, till it was at last Dissolved.

Mean whi [...]e, he made it his business to New-model his dear­ly beloved Army, now consecrated to more pious I ses, and kept on foot to accomplish the great Work of resturing Po­pery Both Officers and Soul [...]iers were Reformed, and such of both sorts put in as would incourage and promote the De­sign.

[...]o lose no Time, whole Sholes of Priests and Jesuits, with Multitudes of Lay-Papists, came over daily from France, and other Parts, as often as the Wind would permit; some to Con­vert us, and others to Cut our Throats. The first, like the Pharisees, came over by Sea and Land to make Proselytes; and liked England so well, that they stuck to it like Burr. Whilst poor Lapland, and other wretched Countries, are left to their Temporal and Spiritual Darkness, seldom visited by those Lights of the Roman Church. And first, to take off from our Minds the frightful Notions we had of Popery, they laid a­side the old way of Controversies from Scripture, Tradition, and Reason; and so new-vamped their Roman Tenets, after the Bishop of Meaux late invented Dress, that it was hard to discern at first view the Popish from the Protestant Religion; Such was their Resemblance, that it was Alter Ego. But the Cheat was quickly found out, and hissed at here, by all Men of Reason and Understanding. Then was held a Disputation at White hall in the King's Presence, wherein his Party came off so shamefully, that his Majesty was fain to excuse their Weakness, by saying, That a good Cause might be baffled.

Yet, notwithstanding these Repulses, the Popish Emissaries having now (contrary to Law) the liberty of the Press, ply'd it hard to get Proselytes, but still with little Success. Pro­vidence had so ordered it, that the Church of England was never stocked with so many Sound, Pious, and Learned Di­vines [Page 13]as we had in this Juncture. So that this Spiritual War, begun by Priests and Jesuits, ended to their Confusion. The Church of England bore the brunt of it all, and the Dissen­ters would not meddle, for fear of giving Offence; nor was there any need of it.

The King found by this time how little was to be expected from Roman Emissaries, and that Compulsion at last must do the Work. France shewed him the Way, where the holy Design was now ripe for Execution, without any fear of a Check from England. For now King Lewis fairly pulled off the Mask, and by his Edicts Anno 1 [...]85. told the World in plain terms, that his Design of Reconciling his Protestant Sub­jects to the Holy Church was from his Coming to the Crown, that all his former Edicts in their behalf, his Acknowledging and Registring in Parliament their great Services to the Crown, and his Advancement of many of them to the highest Dignities Civil and Military, were but so many Blinds to cover his De­sign (for which he calls God to witness) to abolish their Reli­gion by degrees. And, to shew what Opinion he had of Protestants, he declared them Incapable to claim the benefit of Treaties, Promises, or Oaths, made to them by the Papists.

According to these his Ʋnchristian Principles, he broke the sa­cred Ties of Religious Oaths, by Revoking his Protestant Subjects grand Charter of Priviledges, the famous Edict of Nantes, which from its very Foundation was counted Irrevocable; and by forcing his Religion upon them, through the miraculous Vir­tue of his Apostolick Dragoons. Who ('tis true) had no Com­mission to take away their Lives, but all the Comforts there­of, by Want and barbarous Usage, Spoiling and Plundering, dark Prisons and loathsom Dung [...]o [...]s, by parting the Husband and Wife, and robbing Parents of their dearest Children.

But, lest the VVorld should think, that the French King's Zeal was confined within the Bounds of his Dominions, he lost no Opportunity to make it known, that his Design was against the whole Body of Protestants, and first against the English, whose Conversion would much facilitate that of other Protestant Nations. This appears by that noted Speech made to him at Versailles in the Year 1685. by a French Bishop, in [Page 14]the Name of the whole Clergy of France. VVherein the Bishop, having magnified the King for his Zeal in Suppressing the Protestant Religion in his Kingdom, tells him, that England offered to his Majesty one of the most glorious Occasions that he could wish for, and that his British Majesty wanted no­thing but his Protection and the Support of his Arms to set­tle the Catholick Religion in his Dominions. This Speech was published by the French King's Authority, and the Transla­tion of it suffered to come over freely into England. VVhich lookt something odd, and beneath a King of England, to be thus expos'd to the VVorld as a Prince to come under the Protection of a King of France; over whose Kings, and Kingdom, his Ancestors had so often Triumphed. But nothing (it seems) was to be thought Inglorious, that might serve the Popish Design of Rooting out the Protestant Religion.

Such was King James his Zeal for Mother Church, that (ac­cording to Father Peter's Relation) his Majesty told him in his Chamber, That he had rather Reign but one Year to an end, tho in Troubles, and die with the Conversion of England, Scot­land, and Ireland, than to Reign prosperously 30 years, and leave them in Heresy, as he sound them at his Accession to the Crown. A Zeal in some sense like that of Moses; who, to save the People under his Government, was willing to be blotted out of the Book of Life.

By this Saying, and his Proceedings, with the French King's Assistance, we may gu [...]ss what he intended for us. To con­vert us, he went about to subvert the Laws; and, to make us good Christians after his own Way, he made his Will the measure of his Government, without any regard to his Oaths and Promises, to Justice or Equity.

However, to colour what he did with some shew of Justice, he set up a new Claim, a Thing called the Dispensing Power, unknown to former Ages, and now suddenly started up as a Branch forsooth of the King's Prerogative. By which means he threw aside those two great Stumbling-Blocks, the Penal Laws & the Tests, being all our legal Securities for the Preservation of our Religion and Liberties; and so shook the very Foundation thereof, that we had no Security lest against his Will and Plea­sure.

'Tis not denyed, that, in the Cases of Treason and Felony, the King of England may, by vertue of his Prerogative, Par­don the Punishment that a Transgressor has incurred. But it cannot be with any colour of Reason inferred from thence, that the King can intirely-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, as no Laws can be made but by the joint Concurrence of 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.

'Tis true, the Judges declared this Dispensing Power to be a Right belonging to the Crown. But, before that pernicious Judgment could be obtained, first the Opinion of the Judges was privately examined. Such of them as could not in Consci­ence concur in so pernicious a Sentence were turned out, and others substituted, till by the Changes which were made in the Courts of Judicature that Judgment was at last obtained, to give some Credit to the Cause. And, amongst those that were raised to these Trusts, some were professed Papists, and consequently Incapable of all such Imployments. However it does not appear, how it is in the Power of the Twelve Judg­es to offer up the Laws, Rights, and Liberties of the whole Nation to the King, to be disposed of by Him at his Will and Pleasure.

'Twas by vertue of this Imaginary Power, which made the King break loose upon the Laws and govern by his Will, that He imposed upon his Subjects such Magistrates as he thought fittest for his turn, some true Papists, and others false Protestants, such as would go a great way (if not through-stitch) to serve his Popish-Designs. And, tho' they were admitted without taking the Oaths in that Case provided, and conse­quently no lawful Magistrates; yet all were threatned, vexed, and prosecuted, who durst but say, that they had no lawful Authority.

By Virtue of the same Power, the Kingdoms Military Defence was put into such Hands as by many express Laws were Inca­pable of them. Which justly gave the Protestants sad Appre­hensions [Page 16]of imminent Danger, seeing themselves put into the Power of Men that publickly professed to be in Union and Com­munion with the Church of Rome, declaring themselves to be mortal Enemies to Protestants, and bound upon their Salvation to seek their Ruin and Destruction, if they persisted in their Religion. Thus an Army of Papists and Mercenaries was main­tained and dispersed through the Kingdom in full Peace, to the great disquiet and terrour of the Protestants. Who, contrary to the Ancient Laws of the Kingdom, and the express Words of the late Statutes, were constrained to receive those Souldiers into their Houses; whereby they were deprived of their Peace and Security at home, of a free Converse abroad, and of the Advantages they might make otherwise in their Ways of living.

The Church of England was by this time grown out of Fa­vour with the King, for her Stea [...]iness to the Laws, and strong Zeal against Popery. And who should now grow into favour with his Majesty, at least in outward appearance, but the Dis­senting Party, the Object of his Resentment and Indignation, when he came to the Crown? The King knew how to turn the stream of his Kindness, and to shift from one Side to another, that losing one Party he might make sure of another. 'Tis true, some Leaders amongst the Dissenters made an advantage of this Turn, for their private Interest; but the thinking Part of them, who knew where the Snake lay, did not build much upon it. Not could the King expect much from them, consider­ing how lame and falsify'd were most of the Addresses His Majesty receiv'd from that Party.

The King, to aw the Church, erected a Court of Com­missioners for Ecclesiastical Affairs, whose Commission was to proceed with a Non [...]bstante, that is, without and against the Rules of our Laws. And, to please the Dissenters, He put out a Declaration for Liberty of Conscience to all sorts of Persua­sions; with a secret Intent, that none should have it at last but the Papists.

The First was by Commission, so far from any Colour of Law, that it was against most express Laws to the Contrary; and the extent of the Commission was, to take Cognizance and Di­rection [Page 17]of all Ecclesiastical Matters. The Illegality and Incom­petency whereof was so notoriously known, and the Design of it against our Religion so plain, that the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury (being one in the Commission) refused to fit or con­cur in it. For the chief Design of this Court was to Raise none to any Church Dignities but such as had no Zeal for the Protestant Religion, who cloaked their Unconcernedness for it with the specious Pretence of Moderation; and to oppress such of the Clergy as were of eminent Learning, Vertue, and Piety. In this Commission was a Noble Peer who made publick Pro­fession of the Popish Religion, and who at the time of his first professing it declared, that for a great while before he had believed that to be the only true Religion.

'Twas by virtue of this Illegal Commission, that the Lord Bishop of London was Suspended, only because he refused to obey an Order sent him to suspend Dr. Sharp, then Rector of S. Giles, without so much as Citing him before him to make his own Defence, or observing the common Forms of Process. By the same Court was Dr. Hough, President of Magdalen Col­ledge in Oxford, turned out, tho' duly chosen by the Fellows of the said College; and afterwards all the Fellows of the said College, only for refusing to chuse for their President a Person recommended to them by the Kings Evil Counsellors Iustiga­tion. Tho' the Right of a Free Election belonged u [...] oubted­ly to the said Fellows; and that it is expresly provided in Magna Charta, that no Man shall lose L [...]fe or Goods, but by the Law of the Land. More than that the said College was wholly put into the hands of Papists; who by the Law of the Land, and the Statutes of the College, are altogether Inca­pable of such Imployments.

By the King's Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, His Ma­jesty Commanded the same to be Read in all Churches and Chappels; whereby he would have the Clergy to be his Cry­ers, to proclaim his pretended Power to Suspend at once the Force and Use of our Penal Laws, made for the Security of our Religion and Property. And, when the late Arch-Bishop of Can­terbury, and six other Bishops, offered His Majesty an humble Petition in Terms full of Respect, containing in short the Reas [...]ns why they could not Obey the Order sent them to ap­point the Clergy to read the Declaration in their Churches, [Page 18]the said Bishops were Committed to the Tower, and after­wards brought to a Tryal, whose Crime was only a due Re­gard to the Laws. They were Acquitted, and for that piece of Justice Judge Holloway and Judge Powel were Displaced. And, because their Acquittal had caused an universal Joy, some were brought into Trouble for their innocent Expressions of it.

Then came out an Order from the Lords Commissioners, re­quiring all the Chancellors and Arch-Deacons of England to re­turn the Names of all such as had read the King's Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, and of those that had not read it, whether they were injoyned or not injoyned to do it by their respective Bishops. And 'tis observable, that in the Bishoprick of Durham (the Bishop whereof was one of the Commissioners) near 200 Ministers were Suspended for not Reading the De­claration.

Hitherto the Court had carried on their Interest bare-fac'd, at least since the Ill-tim'd Rebellion of Monmouth and Argile; and Dissimulation (unless it were to Dissenters) had no share in their Transactions. But, whilst the Church of England was under Persecution, it was thought convenient to Protect such of the French Refugees as ventured to fly hither from the now raging Persecution in France. Insomuch that, notwithstanding King James's strict Friendship and Correspondence with the French King, His Majesty Protected them with his Favour, and Relieved them with his Royal Briefs. But the Reason of the Thing is plain. The Court of France were got over the Dis­sembling Part, and all Things there were ripe for Action. Whereas in England the Persecution of some was thought fit for a while to be Palliated by the Toleration of Others, though all equally design'd for Destruction.

The same however of this Indulgence to the French Protest­ants invited Multitudes of them hither, to feel the benefit of it in their distressed Condition. The Sight whereof stirred the Compassion of most People, even of Sober Papists; whilst the Plurality of them made it their business all over the Kingdom to stem our Charity, by crying down the Persecution. Which, as fam'd as it was all over Europe for the unparallell'd Cruelty of it, these Men had the Face to deny, representing the Poor Refugees as so many Cut-throats and Vagabonds, whom we must [Page 19]be forsooth aware of. A base Inhumane Thing it was, thus to insult over the Oppressed, and to add so cruelly Persecution to Persecution. But this is true Roman Zeal.

Two Things did prompt them to it. First their just Apprehen­sion, that this Spectacle would be a Caution for us to look to our selves, and stand upon our Gard. Secondly, That such an Addition of incensed Protestants to so great a Party as that they must struggle with, was not at all agreeable to their In­terest. The Truth is, we ought to admire the singular Provi­dence of God in our behalf, that this French Persecution should be so timed as to give us a seasonable Alarm to prevent the same here; that our Persecutors Precipitation and Folly should be so great as to open their wicked Designs so early, and to send us over so many Thousands of Witnesses, as it were to a­waken us, and to let us see what we ought to look for, whene­ver their Bloody Religion should come to prevail among us. Whereas 'tis probable otherwise, that the good Nature of some, and the Weakness and Corruption of others, had put us, (to use Dr. Burnet's Words) to a more melancholy and trouble­some After-game.

In the mean time Nothing was omitted to Incourage Po­pery upon all Accounts, tho' never so much against Law. New Popish Chappels and Mass. Houses were set up, New Popish Schools and Monasteries Erected, four Popish Provincial Bi­shops establish'd, Priests and Jesuits so Incouraged, that England swarmed with them as Egypt did of old with Frogs, Lice, and Locusts, the Privy Council made up of Popish Lords, and some Protestants not much better, the Jesuit Father Petre a Member thereof, and the chief Director of the Cabal Council, a Nun­cio admitted, and a solemn Embassy sent to Rome in the per­son of the Earl of Castlemain. All this in open Defiance to the Laws.

Such was besides the Corruption and Depravation of Justice in the Courts of Judicature, that the Judges must either be bi­assed by the King's Will, or expect a Quietus est, as in the Case aforesaid of Holloway and Powel. The Juries commonly returned by secret Contrivances and illegal Nominations, being neither (as the Law Requires) of the most sufficient nor most indifferent of the nearest Neighbours to the Facts in question, [Page 20]nor by sworn Sheriffs; So that any Mans Life or Estate not well affected to the then Government was in great Jeopardy, if called into Question. Besides that, by putting the Administra­tion of Justice into the hands of Papists, all Matters of Civil Justice were brought to great Uncertainties. Who being un­der an Incapacity by Law, there lay no obligation upon any. Man to acknowledge or obey their Judgments, and all Senten­ces by them given were null and void of themselves

Thus, in few years, the Popish Party being become Masters of the Affairs of the Church, of the Government of the Na­tion, and of the Course of Justice, subjected them all to a De­spotick and Arbitrary Power; that by the Assistance of the Ar­my they might be able to maintain and execute their wicked Designs, by establishing Popery and Slavery.

But, if our Case was desperate here, it was rather worse in Ireland. Where the whole Government was put into the hands of Papists, and all the Protestants there under a perpetual sear of a new Massacre, such as they fell under Anno 1641. Which made great Numbers of them leave that Kingdom, and abandon their Estate, in it. As for Scotland, the King declared him­self to be cloathed with Absolute Power; and all his Subjects there bound to obey Him without reserve; and accordingly assu­med an Arbitrary Power, both over the Religion and Laws of that Kingdom. Whereby it plainly appeared what we must look for in England, as soon as Matters were duly prepared here.

But, during these Transactions, the Popish Party grew Sensible, that the Dispensing Power, being raised but upon a weak Founda­tion, would quickly sink; and that they could not be safe, unless the Penal Laws and the Tests were abrogated by the Authori­ty of a Parliament, or Something like it. The King therefore made it his business to get such a Parliament as would bring this to pass.

'Tis well known, that about four parts in five of the Mem­bers of the House of Commons are to be chosen by Cities and Boroughs. To destroy therefore their Customs, Priviledges, Charters, and Governments, and to substitute therein such Ma­gistrates as would either ignorantly or corruptly serve the Kings Designs, Writs of Quo Warranto fell like Thunder upon [Page 21]those Corporations. Which were seconded by Instruments ap­pointed to terrifie the Magistrates thereof with the King's se­vere Displeasure, if they dared to insist upon their legal Right, and contest with the King at Law. He had Agents appointed to fright them with the vast Charge they must be at, in case they would be so bold as to stand it out; to possess them, that it was to no purpose, since he was resolved to have their Char­ters at his Command; to tempt them with a Promise of New ones, if they would but Resign their Old into his hands; and to threaten them, that the Names of all that refused it must be returned to the Attorney General. Besides, that Judges were prepared to damn the Pleas of all such Cities and Towns as would stand upon their Right. Witness the Cities of Oxford and Winchester, and the Borough of T [...]tness, which were de­clared to be Dissolved at the King's Pleasure; whereby their respective Citizens and Burgess s were Disfranchised, and divested of all their ancient Customs, Freedoms, and Priviledges.

This terrified most Cities and Boroughs into voluntary sur­renders of their Charters; which brought them to that con­di ion as to have no Magistrates or Officers but at the Kings Will, and during his Pleasure. But this Proceeding of the King seemed the less strange, it being but a Copy of what had been already done in the Reign of King Charles.

And, whereas the Election of Members of Parliament ought to be Free and Indifferent, without Pre-ingagement of the Elect­ors, by Bribes, Promises, or Threats, infinite were the Tricks and Artifices used to get such a Parliament as would serve the King's turn. Yet none more busie than the King himself, in con­tinual Attempts upon the personal Freedom and Indifferency of all the Electors for Parliaments throughout the Kingdom. Such were his Personal Sollicitations in secret, to accept of such for their Deputies in Parliament as were fit for his Designs, that his Closetting of Electors was become a By-word amongst the People. Nor was it possible for Persons that held Offices and Imyloyments of Profit and Trust to continue in the same, but by their Concurrence therein with his Majesties Pleasure, Witness his second Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, un­der the Date of Apr. 7. 1688. wherein he declared his Mind, that none ought to be Imployed under him in the Kingdom, but such as would contribute to chuse such Members of Parliament [Page 22]as might do their part to finish what he had begun; That, in pursuance thereof, he had turned out by his Absolute Will ma­ny Civil and Military Officers; And that he lookt upon all Re­fusers as neither good Christians, nor Lovers of their Coun­tries Good.

To further this Design, the Lord Lieutenants were ordered by the King to Summon in his Name the Chief Officers and Gentlemen in their respective Counties, and to lay the Case before them, so as to flatter or terrify them out of the Use of their Freedom in Electing for Parliament. And Marks of the King's Displeasure were put upon those that resolved to keep their Freedom and Indifferency to Elect worthy and fit Deputies, according to their Judgments and Consciences.

Another sort of Men were Commissionated to the same pur­pose, Known by the Name of Regulators. Amongst which seve­ral Anabaptist Preachers were imployed, with good Weekly Allowances; who were sent all over England, to delude People by Caresses or Threats into a fatal Compliance with the King.

By which Illeg [...]l Practices it appears how eager the Court was to introduce the Rom [...]n Religion and Laws, by indea­vouring to free the Papists and Popish Emissaries from the Pu­nishments of our Penal Laws against such manifest A [...]tempts upon the Freedom. Properties, and Rights of the Realm. Which tended to nothing less than, First, to subject the Laws of the Realm, and consequently the very Rights of the Crown to the Canons of the Church of Rome, which Rights our ancient Eng­lish Papists before the Reformation always indeavoured to maintain against the Inchroachments of the Papal See. Second­ly, To declare all the Power of Magistracy in Protestants hands to be unlawful, and all Right and Title to their Estates forfeit­ed (by their being Protestants) to the Papists. Thirdly, To own and justify all Dispensations from Rome, with our Obedi­ence to all such Laws of the Realm as should be thought de­rogatory to the Popes Interest or Authority. And, Fourth­ly, to hold Communion with the Church of Rome, the French, and all Foreign Papists, tho professed Enemies to the Religion and Power of the Protestants, so as to contrive with them the Suppressing or Extirpating of them out of the Realm.

Thus the Ax was laid to the Root, and the Train laid to blow up our Laws, Religion, and Liberties. Which was Provocation enough for a Free People, that have a share in the Legislative Power, to stand up for their Rights and Privi­ledges thus invaded, and to oppose the Exorbit [...]nce and Abu­ses of an Executive Power, which shaked the very Foundation of this ancient Monarchy. Yet all was husht, and these Things born with extraordinary Patience, in hopes of a Redress upon the next Succession, whilst the Princess of Orange (now our gracious Queen) was the Heiress apparent.

But, to cut off at once these only remaining Hopes, who should be now with Child but the Queen, after she had been Childless several Years, and very much decayed and weak­ned with Sickness? Which unexpected Pregnancy some Pa­pists attributed to the Kings Progress to St. Winifred's Wells, others to the Bath, but most to the Lady of Loretto, who for the sake of a fine Present made forsooth made to her by the Queens Mother (the Dutchess of M [...]dena) helped her to con­ceive a Son. A Son it must be by all means, for nothing would serve their turn but a Prince of Wales. And, tho it proved but a Daughter, yet most Priests were of Opinion, that it would set aside the Princess of Orange's Right to the Succes­sion; for which they had no better Argument, than that a Daughter born after the King came to the Crown ought to succeed before a Daughter born before he came to it. Which argued their Ignorance.

I grant, without reflecting in the least upon the King, That this pretended Conception, to be real, must be done by a Miracle. The Queen as is before hinted, had laboured a long time under great Infirmities; and was so far from giving Life to another, that with much a do she kept her self alive. Nothing therefore but a Miracle could do that which her weak Condition made her incapable of.

But, upon a strict Inquiry into those various Circumstances that attend a Woman with Child, and the Want of them in the Queen, 'tis more than probable it was a meer Fiction, and a Design on Foot to cut off the Princess of Orange from her Right to the Succession. And 'tis observable, that, some [Page 24]time before the Report of this unexpected and miraculous Pregnancy of the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Orange had been very much pressed in the King's Name, to declare themselves for the Abolishing the Penal Laws and the Tests. Which his Majesty not being able to gain upon them, he was heard to say with much anger, that He would trouble himself no more with them, but they should Repent it.

Soon after this, the Rumor of the Queen's Conception was spread abroad with great Industry; but believed by none but Papists, or Persons Popishly affected. For amongst others it became a Matter of Laughter and Derision, and a Subjest for Poets Lampoons; which grew so common, that White-hall it self was full of them

But the Papists, who lookt upon it as a certain Way to procure their Settlement here, triumphed nevertheless. And the fruth is, this was the best VVay they could find to lessen the growing Reputation and Power of Their Highnesses, to weaken their Interest and th [...]t of the whole Body of Prote­stants, to incourage the [...]en [...] King in the Prosecution of his cruel Designs against them, to strengthen the English Papist, and make our Corrupt and Time-serving Protestants fall in with their Party, and lastly to possess many weak Dissenters that their Liberty of Conscience must of necessity be fixt in a Popish Succession. The King therefore, to give the greater Credit to this pretended Conception, ordered a Day of Thanksgiving for it, with solemn Prayers to be offered unto God, for the Pre­servation of the Queen and Infant. Though he knew well enough that sew People besides his own Party gave any credit to it.

To come now to the usual Circumstances that attend a Con­ception, the first natural Sign is the Stopping the Monthly Cour­ses. By the King's Speech in Council, it seems Their Majesties had both thought fit to publish her Conception to have been at the Time of the Present made to the Ladies Image at Loretto, upon his Return to the Queen at Bath. Now 'tis very well known, that it was with Her afterward as formerly after the manner of Women; and all the Industry used to conceal it pro­ved Ineffectual, because it came to the Knowledge of more than were made privy to the Plot.

And, whereas in four Months time the Breasts of a VVoman [Page 25]with Child begin to swell and yield Milk, the Queens Breasts never swelled all the time of her pretended Child-bearing, nor produced any Milk, whatever one Court Lady affirmed to the contrary. If the Queen had any Milk in her Breasts, it was so much for her Interest and the Credit of her Cause to con­vince the VVorld of her real being with Child, by giving that signal Demonstration of it, that I had rather think her Majesty wanted Milk, than so much common Prudence as to make it appear, in case she had any. And we are very well assu­red, that none of the Ladies proper to be VVitnesses could ever obtain the satisfaction to see a drop of Milk from her Breasts.

The same Reason we have to disbelieve the Quickening of the Child in her VVomb, however industriously it was spread abroad. For the feeling of its Motion was never vouchsafed to any competent VVitnesses of it which would have been a main Proof of her Pregnancy, had there been any such Thing. And therefore 'twas expected, to give the suspicious Kingdom a Ground to believe the Queen to be really with Child, that her Majesty would have made some of the Protestant Ladies of her Bed-Chamber sensible of so great a Proof of her being in the Codition she pretended.

Another manifest Sign of the true natural Progress of a Great Belly, is the Distension of all the Parts of the Body that incom­pass the Womb. The Queen indeed had her Belly exceeding­ly copped up, and high. But, as it was observed by skilful Ma­trons, all the outward Parts of her Body that incircle the Womb were of the same proportion that they were at other times. And, when they minded her Majesty walking, and lookt upon her behind and on each side, they could see no appearance in her of a Great Bellied Woman. Her Bodies were made with­out alteration. And, during all the last four Months, when she was to change her Linnen, She always withdrew from her Chamber with two or three Italian Women, and retired into her Closet, or some other private Room, con­trary to her former usual Course; and would not suffer any of the Protestant Ladies of the Bed-Chamber to see her shift her self, as they had constantly done.

All these are strong Presumptions, that the Queen's Great Belly was but a false Appearance to delude the Nation. But [Page 26]there are other Circumstances, that create as great a Prejudice against it.

In the Preparation for Her Majesties supposed Delivery it was expected, that early Notice should be given to the Prin­cess of the Blood of her expected Travel, and of the Place of her Residence at such time; that proper Noble Matrons, and others, might prepare themselves, and attend there in their behalf, who, by their Testimonies might have for ever sup­pressed and silenced all Suspicions of Fraud or Imposture. It was hoped at least, that the Princess of Denmark would have been present, to see what was brought forth. But Care was taken to advise her, when she wanted astringent Medicines, to go to the loosening Waters of the Bath; and to keep her 80 miles distant, till the supposed Prince should be born.

To conceal the Time and intended Place for this fictitious Travel, such Artifices were used, that no body could tell when nor where this Play was to be acted. Sometimes the Queen was to lye at Richmond, sometimes at Windsor, another time at Hampton-Court, tho St. James's was the Place appointed. And, when her Majesty declared she would lye at St. James's on the Saturday at night, which was the Night before her preten [...]ed Travel and Delivery, the Warning was so very short, that with much ado her Lodgings could be got ready time enough.

That very night the Queen was late at Cards, without any Sign of fore-running Pains of a Woman whose Travel approach­eth, nor is any pretended to have been in the Night▪ And it does not so much as appear, that the usual Instruments of Mid­wives, whereupon they commonly place all Women of Quality in their Time of Travel, were got in readiness. So that every Thing was carried on and managed by her Majesty, as if she chose rather to confirm the general Opinion of the People, that this was but a pious Cheat, than to be at the trouble of act­ing all the parts of a VVoman with Child.

The Time of the Day fixt upon for this Travel, and the Room it self wherein it was to be acted, are two other unlucky Cir­cumstances that mainly fortify the National Prejudice against this pretended Prince. The Travel was contrived to be at Church­time on the Sunday, between the hours of nine and ten in the morning, that the Business might be over before the Protestant Ladies were come from Church, and that the Assistant Matrons might be free to act their Parts as they did.

In the Room there was a private Door within the Ruel of the Bed, leading into an Inner Room, from whence a Child might be secretly brought, and put unseen into the Bed. And by that Privy Door all the Transactions were managed. 'Tis true, some Lords and Ladies were brought into the Bed-Chamber, but only to be seen in the Room, and that their Names might be published as VVitnesses of the Queen's being Delivered, tho they saw nothing that was done.

For the Queen lay in Bed with all the Curtains round close drawn, whilst the Midwife and her Confederates seemed very busy about Her Majesty in the dark, none seeing what they did. Nor do's it appear, that Her Majesty had any of those natural Signs which usually attend a Travel, and such as can­not be hidden. Her Labour was short and easy, far beyond what could be expected from her State of Body, debilitated with long lingering Infirmities. VVhich might be so contri­ved, lest the Child that was got in the Bed should be stifled by the Closeness of it.

The Jobb being thus finely over, something close covered was by the Midwife delivered to one of the Confederate Ma­trons, and both hastned with it through the Privy Door into the next Room, without declaring what it was, a Prince or a Princess. VVhich looks something odd of the Midwife, to quit her Attending and Assulting the Queen, when her At­tendance and Skill were both so necessary to preserve her Ma­jesties Life, if she had really brought forth either a Son or a Daughter.

Nor was the Child heard to Cry, which is the common and most constant natural Sign of the Birth of a living Child. Which might be, because the Child that was brought in was prepared to sleep, to prevent its Crying before it was conveyed into the Bed, and slept on till it was gradually awaked.

The King, after some time, leaving the Lords of the Council in the Bed-Chamber (who had waited all this while to no more purpose, than if they had been ten miles off) with-drew into the inner Room, where the supposed Prince was. And soon after the News was brought them, that a Prince was born. VVhereupon some went away, and others staid yet a while, to have a sight of this New-born Prince. VVho being shewn unto them, the King said, That he had now a Son, a strong, [Page 28]and lively Prince. VVhich gave occasion for a Joke, even amongst the meanest sort of Child-bearing Women, That such a Child of about Eight Months was as great a Miracle as the Queens Conception. For, by their Majesties Reckoning, this supposed Prince was but the Product of eight Months and four Days; and to see such an untimely Birth so strong and lively, especially from so weak a Mother, is rare, and almost past Belief.

Nor was the Matter much mended by saying, That it was frequent amongst Child-bearing VVomen to Misre [...]kon; or by persuading the Queen to declare, contrary to her first Reckoning (which she kept to several Weeks after her pre­tended Delivery) That she had miscounted the Time of her Conception, and that she knew her self to be with Child be­fore her Use of the Bath. Strange! that Her Majesty should be then with Child, and yet have her Monthly Courses, as she had in her Journey to the Bath, and four Days after the Kings going from thence. That, knowing her self with Child at that time, she should not acquaint her Physicians with it; the meanest of whom might have told Her Majesty, That her Bathing would probably destroy the Embryo. And that Her Majesty should not consider, this would spoil the Story of the Miracle of Loretto, said to be performed at the King's Re­turn to Bath.

These are Things so Inconsistent, and altogether so Irrecon­cilable, that they would be hissed at in any Judicious and Im­partial Court of Judicature. But any Thing will go down with a sort of Men that can digest Contradictions, and whose Zeal to their Religion can make them believe at random what they see not, and not to believe what they see.

If the Queen's pretended Conception was Miraculous, the Progress of her Great Belly, and her Delivery, were as Preter­natural. Nay, the very Consequents of her Delivery were no less wonderful, so that it was all but one continued Miracle. To see a Queen, at the best but tender and weak, yet free from any Danger of her Life after an Untimely Birth, with­out Feaver, or so much as the usual Redundancy of Milk, these are such Blessings from Heaven as may pass for Miracles. But, as the Miracle of the Conception was spoiled by shifting the Reckoning, so it is to be feared that the rest was all of a piece.

From what is said, upon very sure Evidence, I leave the World to judge what Ground there is to believe the supposed Prince of Wales to be born of the Queen. I confess it is some­thing hard to think, That a Father should be so Unjust and Unnatural, as to put by his own Lawful Children from their Succession to the Crown, to make Room for an Interloper, a supposititious Child. Besides the Affront put, 1. Upon the two Princes, joined in Wedlock to his Daughters, and having thereby a Matrimonial Right to the Crown. 2. Upon three Kingdoms, by Imposing a strange (tho innocent) Child upon them to be the next Successor, and consequently to receive in time Homage and Allegiance of all the Subjects thereof, the Nobility, Gentry, and Commonalty, with all dutiful Sub­mission to his Commands. 3. Upon all Foreign States, Domi­nions, Powers, and Principalities, by setting up a Sham-Prince, who being upon the Throne must be lookt upon and respected as a great King and a lawful Prince, in all their Treaties and Negotiations with him.

But what is not a blind Zeal capable of? To Settle a Popish Successor in these Kingdoms was such a piece of meritorious Service to the Church of Rome, that nothing could indear the King more to her, than the doing of it. What Issue he had then alive were too much dipt in Heresy; and nothing could bring them off from it, no not so much as to consent to the Repealing of those two Bug-bears, the Penal Laws and the Tests.

But, suppose this Prince were really born of the Queen, a­gainst which there are so many strong Presumptions, 'tis a Thing unaccountable why the Queen should be so shy all the time of her Child-bearing to give that publick Satisfaction about it which was reasonably expected from her Majesty. The Nation was possessed, it was all but a Trick. It had been there­fore but common Prudence in the Queen to Undeceive us as far as it lay in her power, even for the Child's sake in her Womb. If her Majesty had Milk in her Breasts, what dimi­nution to her Glory had it been to let her Protestant Ladies see but some Drops of it? If, when the Child stirred in the Womb, but two or three true-hearted Protestant Ladies had been admitted to feel those Motions, it had gone a great way to silence all Gainsayers, and to quicken the very Nation into another Belief. When Her Majesty was near the time of her [Page 30]Travel, to what purpose was the Place appointed for her Lying In so concealed, that no Protestant could tell where to find Her? And why must a Room at last be chosen at S. James's, with a private Door within the Ruel of the Bed, leading into another Room, which alone was enough to create a Suspicion? To which add a total Neglect, and absolute slighting of all the ne­cessary Rules of Law and Justice about needful Witnesses of the Birth of a Prince and Heir to the Crown. So that, suppo­sing this pretended Prince to be really born of the Queen, it must be granted, that Things were so managed from the begin­ning to the end, as if the Court intended to make the Thing still more doubtful, and the Suspicion the stronger. And, if that was their Aim, they have hit the Nail on the Head.

Thus, the Birth of this supposed Prince not being lawfully Witnessed, Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange had no Reason to depart from her Claim of Heiress apparent to the Crown, or to Resign it to him; But rather to complain to the World of the Wrong done her, by suffering a supposed Child to steal upon her Right, and ass [...]me the Name of Prince and Heir apparent to the Crown.

Nor was it her part to prove him a Counterfeit, it being a Rule by the Laws and Customs of all Civil Governments for any one that claims to be the lawful Son of a family, to being in legal Proofs for it. Her Royal Highness had been hitherto acknowledged to be the Heiress apparent of the Crown; and nothing could legally debar her from that Claun but a true born Prince, with such Legal Witnesses as would satisfie the Nation that it was so. The Want of which in this Case l [...]ft the Princess of Orange in her full, Claim to the next Succession.

To vindicate which Claim, and to Secure withal the Pro­testant Interest in these Kingdoms, His Highness the Prince of Orange, upon the earnest and humble Application of several of the Lords both Spiritual and Temporal, came over from Hol­land with a competent Force. Which leads me to my Third Part.

THE HISTORY Of the LATE REVOLUTION
PART III. Shewing Our Wonderful Deliverance by our present King William, and our Great Happiness therein.

THings were now brought to an Extremity, and no­thing but a miraculous Providence could Rescue us from our Enemies. To which end it pleased God to raise His Highness, the Prince of Orange. A Magnanimous, Wise, and Religious Prince; whose Illustrious Family seems to have been appointed by Providence, ever since the Reformation, for the Preservation of God's Church, and a Check to Ty­ranny.

This Prince being penetrated with the dismal Account he [...]i [...]y, Zea [...]ed of the French Persecution, and possessed with a and King [...] S [...]inst the Known Combination of King James the Reformation, for the Inslaving all Europe, and Rooting out to oppose their Amb [...]d, with God's help in so just a Cause, that had been hitherto the [...]. Idolatrous▪ Designs. England, King's Greatness, was the most likely, Instrument of the French [...] reduced to its [Page 32]proper and natural Course, to influence and procure his Fall. The Provocations were great on King James's side, by his Ar­bitrary Methods of Government contrary to Law and the Sub­jects Liberty, by his Attempts upon their Religion, and by Imposing upon them a Successor justly suspected of being a Stranger to the Royal Blood.

For the Redressing which Abuses, by a Free and Full Par­liament, His Royal Highness undertook the late famous Ex­pedition; which God was pleased to Crown with Glory and Success, to the Amazement of all Europe, the Joy of all ra­tional Men, and the Terrour of Tyranny. In order to which suitable Preparations had been made in Holland, both by Sea and Land, to defend his Highness from the Violence of all such as should oppose Him. Which were carried on with that wonderful Secrecy, tho' the Secret was dispersed amongst ma­ny, that the Sagacious Count D' Avaux, the French Embassador at the Hague, could not sift out the Meaning of it, till all Things were in great forwardness, and the Prince almost rea­dy to take Shipping. Whose Forces consisted of about 13000 Men, Horse, Foot, and Dragoons; and (which is remarkable) a good part of them Papists. For the Transporting whereof, with all Things necessary, there were 300 Fly-boats, Pinks, and other Vessels, under the Convoy of 50 Capital Men of War, 26 Smaller, and 25 Fire-ships.

But, before his Setting out, He published a Declaration, to satisfy the World with the Justice of his Undertaking. Where­in, having fairly shewn the manifest and undeniable Invasion of the Laws and Liberties of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by the Kings.The Sum of the Prince of Orange's Declara­tion. Evil Counsellors, He Declares, That, Ʋpon the most earnest Sollicitations of a great many Lords both Spiritual and Temporal, and of many Gentlemen and other Subjects of all Ranks, for the Relief of these Three Kingdoms, He thought sit to [...] over into England, with a Force sufficient (by the Bla [...] intended to defend him from Violence. That his Exped [...]wful Parliament for no other End, but to have a Free Secure to the whole Na-Assembled, as soon as possible, in Laws, Rights, and Liberties, [...]tion the free Injoyment of [...]vernment, to preserve the Protestant under a Just and [...] such as would live peaceably under the Go­vernment, Religion, [...] [Page 33](as becomes good Subjects) from all Persecution upon the account of their Religion, even Papists themselves not excepted; so that there might be no more Danger of the Nations falling at a­ny time hereafter under Arbitrary Government. He further De­clares, That to this Parliament he would Refer the Inquiry into the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales, and of all Things relating to it, or to the Right of Succession. And, for the Executing of this his just Design, He Invites and Requires all Persons what­soever, all the Peers of the Realm both Spiritual and Temporal, all Lords Lieutenants, Deputy-Lieutenants, and all Gentlemen, Ci­tizens, and other Commons of all Ranks, to Come and Assist Him against all such as should indeavour to Oppose Him. Whereby all those Miseries might be prevented, which must needs follow upon the Nations being kept under Arbitrary Government and Slavery; and all the Violences and Disorders which had Overturned the whole Constitution of the English Government, might be fully Re­dressed in a Free and Legal Parliament. Then He concludes to this purpose. That he would take Care, as soon as the Nations were brought to a State of Quiet, that a Parliament should be called in Scotland, for Restoring the ancient Constitution of that Kingdom, and for bringing the Matters of Religion to such a Settlement, that the People might live easy and happy, and for putting an end to all the Ʋnjust Violences that had been committed there in a course of so many Years. And, as for Ireland, That he would study to bring that Kingdom to such a State, that the Settlement there might be religiously observed, and that the Protestant and British Interest there might be secured. Finally, That He would Indea­vour, by all possible Means, to procure such an Establishment i [...] all the Three Kingdoms, that they might all live in a happy Union and Correspondency together; and that the Protestant Religion, the Peace, Honour, and Happiness of these Nations might be e­stablished upon lasting Foundations. This Declaration being Given under His Highnesses Hand and Seal at his Court in the Hague, Oct. 10. (New-style) 1688. was accordingly thus signed, William Henry Prince of Orange, and by by His Highnesses Command, C. Huygens.

The King, having had Notice of the Prince's Design but a Month before his Highness set out from Holland, hurried away from Windsor (where the Court then was) to White-hall, and from thence to Chatham, to get as much of his Fleet in readiness as could be done in so short a Warning. He came to White-hall Sept. 18. and the next Day he went down the River to Chatham; the Queen and the Prince of Wales, with the whole Cou [...]t, returning in a great hurry the Day af­ter.

His Majesty had, sometime before, signified his Pleasure to Call a Parliament to meet in November next, and Writs of Summons were issued out accordingly. Upon this Intelligence He did put out a plausible Declaration, dated Sept. 21st. wherein He declared His Royal Purpose to Indeavour at the next Sessions a Legal Establishment of an Ʋniversal Liberty of Conscience for all his Subjects, together with his Resolution In­violably to Preserve the Church of England as by Law Esta­blished, excepting the Penal Clauses. And, to remove all Fears and Apprehensions that the Legistative Power would be Ingrossed by the Roman Catholicks, and turned against Protestants, He declared his Willingness that they should remain Incapable to be Members of the House of Commons. As for the Election of Mem­bers of Parliament, His Majesty by this His Declaration gave strict Orders, that all Things relating thereto should be done ac­cording to Law.

Immediately after the publishing of the said Declaration, the King was pleased to Authorize and Impower the Lords Lieutenants of the several Counties to Grant Deputations to such Gentlemen as had been lately Removed from being Depu­ty-Lieutenants. And His Majesty gave also Directions to the Lord Chancellor to put into the Commission of the Peace such Gentlement as had been laid aside, and should be recommended by the said Lords Lieutenants.

And, upon the Attendance of several of the Bishops on the King, His Majesty was pleased, amongst other Gracious Ex­pressions, to let them know, That he would signify his Plea­sure for taking off the Suspension of the Lord Bishop of London. Which was done accordingly.

Then came out his Proclamation, under the Date of Sept. 28th. Wherein He first informs his People of a great and sud­den [Page 35]Invasion from Holland, to be speedily made in a Hostile Manner upon this his Kingdom; And then solemnly Conjures all his Subjects heartily to Ʋnite together in the Defence of Him, and their Native Country, as the only Way (under God) to defeat and frustrate the Principal Hope and Design of his and their Enemies. But, whereas he did intend to have met his Parliament in November next, He found it necessary, in regard of this strange and unreasonable Attempt from our Neighbouring Country, with­out any manner of Provocation, to recall the Writs issued forth, with Orders to surcease all further Proceedings thereon. Then He proceeds to give the necessary Charge to all Lords Lieu­tenants and Deputy Lieutenants, to use their best and utmost Indeavours, to Resist, Rebel, and Suppress his Enemies, who came with such Confidence and great Preparations to Invade and Con­quer these his Kingdoms. And lastly, does most expresly and strictly Injoin and Prohibit all his Subjects from giving any man­ner of Aid, Assistance, Countenance, or Succour, or from hold­ing any Correspondence with these his Enemies, or any of their Complices, upon Pain of High Treason, and being proceeded against with the utmost Severity.

Within four Days after came out His Majesties most Gra­cious and General Pardon; but with such Intricate Clauses as resolved the Pardon into little or nothing.

The King upon this, having received several Complaints of great Abuses and Irregularities committed in the late Regu­la [...]ion of the Corporations, Authorized and Required the Lords Lieutenants of the several Counties to Inform themselves of all such Abuses and Irregularities within their Lieutenancies, and to make forthwith Report thereof to His Majesty, together with what they conceived fit to be done for Redressing the same. Whereupon His Majesty would give such farther Orders as should be requisite.

The next Thing was His Majesties Appointing the Lord Bishop of Winchester as Visior of St. Mary Magdalen in Ox­ford, to Settle that Society Regularly and Statutably.

Then a Proclamation, for Restoring Corporations to their An­cient Charters, Liberties, Rights and Franchises. Followed by an Order from the King and Council, under His Majesties Signet and Sign-Manual, to Remove, Displace, and Discharge all manner of Officers and Magistrates of Cities, Boroughs, and [Page 36]Towns Corporate, which had or claimed such Offices or Places by Charter, Patent, or Grant from the late King, or from Him, since the Year 1679. Except such Cities and Towns whose Deeds of Surrender were Inrolled, or against whom Judgments in Quo War­ranto were entred.

And Oct. 2d. the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffs, with several other Eminent Citizens of London, attending the King, His Majesty was pleased to tell them, That out of his Concern for the Peace and VVelfare of the City, and as a Mark of the great Confidence. He had in them at this time that the Kingdom was threatned with an Invasion, He had resolved to restore to them their Ancient Charter and Priviledges, and to put them into the same Condition they were at the time of the Judgment pronounced against them upon the, Quo Warranto, that so they might be bet­ter enabled to serve him with that Duty and Loyalty which they had given the King his Brother and Himself so many Testimonies of, and upon which His Majesty did depend. VVhereupon the King was pleased to give express Commands to the Lord Chan­cellor of England, and the Attorney General, to prepare such Grant or Instrument of Restauration and Confirmation as should be requisite, and that the same should be forthwith Dis­patched.

Thus having been Exercised to the Right and to the Left, Backward and Forward, We found our selves at last much As we were at first. And, had there been any rational Hopes of Continuing thus, without any further Breach, these gentle Methods (tho upon a forced Put) would have gone perhaps a great way to turn the Stream, and to quiet the People. But, what Assurance could be had of having these our Rights continued to us any longer than what would serve our Ene­mies Turn?

The Prince therefore, hearing of these Retractations, which proceeded more from Fear than any Principle of Justice, pub­lished an Additional Declaration, Given under his Hand and Seal at his Court at the Hague the 24th. (being our 14th.) of October, The Prince of Orange's Addition­al Decla­tation. in these following Words.

After VVe had prepared and printed Our Declaration, VVe have understood, That the Subverters of the Religion and Laws of those Kingdoms, hearing of Our Preparations to assist the Peo­ple [Page 37]against them, have begun to Retract some of the Arbitrary and Despotick Powers that they had assumed, and to Vacate some of their unjust Judgments and Decrees. The Sense of their Guilt, and the Distrust of their Force, have induced them to Of­fer to the City of London some seeming Relief from their great Oppressions, hoping thereby to quiet the People, and to divert them from demanding a secure Re-establishment of their Religion and Laws, under the shelter of our Arms. They do also give out, that we intend to Conquer and I [...]slave the Nation. Therefore We have thought fit to add a few VVords to our Declaration.

We are confident, that no Persons can have such hard Thoughts of Ʋs, as to imagine, that We have any other Design in this Ʋndertaking, than to procure a Settlement of the Religion and of the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects upon so sure a Foundation, that there may be no danger of the Nation [...] Relapsing into the like Miseries at any time hereafter. And, as the Forces We have brought along with Ʋs are utterly dispropertioned to that wicked Design of Conquering the Nation, if We were capable of intending it; So the great Numbers of the Principal Nobility and Gentry, that are Men of Eminent Quality and Estates, and Persons of known Integrity and Zeal both for the Religion and Government of England, many of them being also distinguished by their con­stant Fidelity to the Crown, who do both accompany Ʋs in this Expedition, and have earnestly sollicited Ʋs to it, will cover us from all such malicious Insinuations. For it is not to be imagined that either those who have Invited Ʋs, or those that are already come to assist Ʋs, can joyn in a wicked Attempt of Conquest, to make void their own lawful Titles to their Honours, Estates, and Interests. We are also confident, that all Men see how little weight there is to be laid on all Promises and Ingagements that can be now made, since there has been so little Regard had in time past to the most solemn Promises. And, as that imperfect Redress that is now offered is a plain Confession of those Violations 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, reserving intire, 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 nor Remedy offered but in Parliament, by a Declaration of the [Page 38]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 the Nation in a Law­ful Parliament.

King James, having notice of these Declarations, which touched him to the quick, and made him very uneasy, His Majesty forthwith put out a Proclamation, dated Nov. 2d. to forewarn all his Subjects not to publish, disperse, repeat, or hand a­bout the said Treasonable Papers and Declarations, or any of them, [...] any other Paper or Papers, of such like nature; Nor presume to Read, Receive, Conceal, or keep them, or any of them, without Discovering or Revealing the same with all speed to some of the Privy Council, or to some of the Judges, Justices of the Peace, or other publick Magistrates, upon Peril of being Prosecuted according to the utmost Severity of the Law.

A Fortnight before this a Proclamation was come out, strictly charging all the Lords Lieutenants and Deputy Lieutenants of the Counties adjoyning to the Sea, and all other Officers Civil and Military within the said Counties, to cause the Coasts to be carefully watched, and upon the first approach of the Enemy to cause all manner of Cattel sit for Burden and Draught, and not actually imployed in His or the Countrey's Service, to be Driven and Removed by the space at least of twenty Miles from the Place where the Enemy should attempt to Land, and to secure the same in such effectual Manner, that they might not fall into the Hands or Pow­er of any of His Enemies.

Another Proclamation was set forth, under the Date of Octob. 26. to Restrain the Spreading of false News, in this time of publick Danger, by Charging all Officers and Magistrates whatsoever to take effectual Care for the speedy Apprehension, Prosecution, and severe Punishment of all Offenders herein.

Lastly, there came out a Declaration, dated Nov. 6. wherein His Majesty, after some grievous Reflections on this pretended Ʋnchristian and Ʋnnatural Attempt of the Prince of Orange to Invade his Kingdoms, and the many Mischiefs and Calamities which an Army of Foreigners and Robels must unavoidably bring up­on His People, Charges His Highness with Assuming the Re­gal Style in his Declaration, by Requiring therein the Peers of the Realm, &c. to Obey, and Assist him in the Execution of his De­signs, [Page 39]whereas the words are, to Come and Assist him, which al­ters the Case very much, and makes the Exception void. Then He exclaims upon the Prince's Calling in question the Legitimacy of the Prince of Wales, his Son and Heir apparent, notwithstand­ing there were at his Birth so many Witnesses of Ʋnquestionable Credit. And, whereas the Prince of Orange had Declared, that he would submit all to the Determination of a Free Par­liament, His Majesty by this his Declaration indeavours to possess his People, that a Parliament could not be free, so long as there was an Army of Forreigners in the Heart of his Kingdom, and declared his Resolution to ca [...]l one as soon as his Kingdoms should be delivered from this Invasion, with Assurances of Recei­ving and Redressing all the Just Complaints and Grievances of His good Subjects, and of Maintaining them in their Religion, Liberties, and Properties. Ʋpon which Considerations, and the Obligations of their Duty, and natural Allegiance, He promises Himself, that they will readily and heartily Concur and Joyn with him in the intire Suppression and Repelling of those his Enemies and Rebellious Subjects, coming to Disturb the Peace of these his King­doms.

The King had hitherto turned every Stone, to bring off his People from Joyning with the Prince, with daily Retractations, Promises and Threats, Proclamations, and Declarations. Nay some few Addresses were procured, full of horror and amazement at this intended Invasion, as they called it, and of the Subscribers Impatience to shew their Zeal for the King's Service, by Sa­crificing their Lives and Fortunes for the support of his Crown and Dignity. Such was the humble Address of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Cumberland, subscribed unto by se­veral other Gentlemen of the said County. Another from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council of Exeter. A third from the Mayor, Aldermen, Bailifs, and Citizens of the City of Carlisle. And, by Sir Thomas Haggerstons Report, then Gover­nour of Berwick, the People of that Place were so transported with Loyalty to the King, and possessed with such a Detesta­tion and abhorrence of this Invasion, that they not only Re­solved to venture their Lives and Fortunes in the Defence of the King's Person and Government; but desired withal, that His Majesty would be graciously pleased to send down Com­missions for the Raising a Regiment of Inhabitants, to be assist­ing [Page 40]to the King's standing Forces there, as Occasion should of­fer.

All this the Gazets took great care to acquaint us with; as also to let us know those Noble Peers and others who, upon the News of this miscalled Invasion, humbly offered their Ser­vices to His Majesty. Amongst which was his Grace the late Duke of Newcastle, to whom the King gave a Commission to raise a Regiment of Foot.

The King had a gallant Army, but most of them were Pro­testants, and not a few true English Men, readier to draw the Sword for the Defence of the Protestant Religion and the Liberty of England, than for the Maintenance of those two Inseparable Monsters, Popery and Slavery. The People ge­nerally waited for the Princes Coming with great Impatience, and could not conceal the Joy which the Expectation of him had diffus'd over and the Kingdom. So that, if this were an Invasion, one could every where read Treason in their Faces, and a Man could scarce turn about but he met with a Tray­tor.

They that knew not the North from the South, or the East from the West, fell learning of the Compass, to find out how the Wind fat, whilst they longed for that Wind which must bring over the Prince. So mindful were the People of the late Attempts upon their Religion, Laws, and Liberties, that they look't upon Him as their Saviour, whom the Court Party called Invader.

Such was the state of Things here, when the Prince of Orange, having long waited for a favourable Wind, did at last set out from Holland with His great Fleet, which lay in the Flats near the Brill. This was October 19. (old Style) 1688, when his Highness, attended by Mareschal de Schomberg as General, with many other great Officers, and Persons of Quality of several Nations, set Sail about four a Clock in the Afternoon. No­thing could be more glorious than his Setting out, but nothing more dismal than what followed soon after. So furious a Tem­pest did arise in the Night as wholly dispersed that prodigi­ous Fleet, and gave great Apprehensions of its Loss. VVhen Holland, that had seen but the day before the whole Fleet sail together in the greatest Splendour, saw now but seattered Ships [Page 41]return into its Harbour, not without some Damage. Which proved for some time a great Mortification to the Protestant Par­ty, whilst the Roman Catholicks lookt upon it as an Indication of God's Anger, an ill Omen to the Prince, and a terrible War­ning to His Highness not to Attempt any Thing against the Church Interest. In short, they presently concluded his High­ness must let fall his Design. And 'tis observable, that, upon the News of it here, there was a Demurr put upon the Business of Magdalen Colledge; which shewed still what they would be at, if the Prince had any way failed in his Design.

But the whole Fleet came at last to several Ports of Holland, without so much as one Ship cast away. Only one Man, and 4 or 500 Horses were lost, which were thrown Over-board. So that his Highness, admiring God's Providential Goodness in so great a Trial, resolved to pursue his Heroick Design with the first Opportunity. And, whatever Application might be made unto him to dissuade him from any further Attempt, he declared, That his Word was too far ingaged, and his Honour lay too much at Stake, for any Danger to deter him from the Per­formance of the first, or from Saving the last as far as it lay in his power. That, as He was satisfied with the Justice of his Under­taking, so He was fully convinced of God's merciful Goodness in Saving the whole Fleet from so apparent a Danger, which he took as a good Omen. Accordingly He ordered all Things to be got in rea [...]iness, and a speedy Recruit of Horses to be made.

About Octob. 30. the Wind turning Easterly, and blowing fresh, Orders were given to Set out with all Speed. And two Days after, Nov. 1. about Three in the Afternoon, the whole Fleet, now increased to a greater Number did set Sail. Which, being commanded by Admiral Herbert, was divided into three Squa­drons, the Red, White, and Blue, according to the Colour of their respective Flags. The Prince was in the Brill, a new Ship of about 3 [...] Guns; Whose Flag was English Colours, with this Motto impaled thereon, The Protestant Religion and Li­berties of England; and underneath, I Will Maintain It.

To the Red Squadron belonged the English and Scotch Forces, consisting of six Foot Regiments, commanded by Major General Mackay. To the VVhi [...]e, the Prince's Gards and the Bran­denburghers, under the Command of Count Solms. And the Blue [Page 42]Squadron contained the Dutch and French Forces, commanded by Count Nassaw. Every Ship had a distinctive Mark, whereby it was Known unto what Squadron she belonged. And, when Night came upon them, all the Ships set out their Lights, which made a most glorious Shew upon the Sea; the Princes Ship ha­ving three Lanthorns, the other Men of War two each, and each other Ship one. All which at a distance appeared like so many Stars, moving upon the Water.

The Wind and VVeather continuing Fair, on Saturday Nov. 3. about Noon the Fleet got into the Channel, sailing VVestward with all their Colours set out, and stretched in a Line betwixt Calais and Dover, so that it reached within a League of each Place. His Highness led the Van, attended by three Men of War; one at a distance before his Ship, and one on each side. The Tenders, as Pinks, Flyboats, and other Vessels of this Kind, sailed next, with their Decks throng'd with Officers and Soul­diers; the Flanks and Rear being guarded by the Men of VVar, but especially the Rear, as being most in danger to be followed by the English Fleet. In this great Splendour and Order the whole Fleet sailed with a Kind of Bravado betwixt England and France, Drums beating, Colours flying, the Trumpets sound­ing, and the Hoboys playing, for the space of three hours. Great was the Concourse of Spectators on both Shores, at 20 miles distance from each other, to see this glorious Sight, worthy of the greatest Monarch to behold. The Men of VVar that sailed nearest to Dover gave the Town and Castle some Guns, and those that went on the other side did the same by Calais.

The English Fleet, consisting of about 34 Sail under the Com­mand of the Lord Dartmouth, lay then in the Buoy of the Nore; but did not think fit to stir, with a Number so much inferiour, and a parcel of Seamen who were Known to be VVell wishers to the Prince.

The next Day, Nov. 4. being the Lord's Day, and the Day of the Prince's happy Birth and Marriage, the Fleet (being now come as far as the Isle of VVight) observed the Duty of the Day; and did not Sail, but all were driven of the VVaves, till about four in the Afternoon. VVhen, the VVind being still favoura­ble, and blowing very fresh, every Ship made all the Sail she could bear.

Torbay in Devonshire was the Place intended for Landing. But the next Morning, Monday Nov. 5, proving very Hazy and Foggy, and full of Rain, the Fleet hapned to Sail beyond it. A­bout Nine of the Clock it cleared up; and, as Providence was pleased to order it, the VVind then choped about, and turned VVest South VVest, a moderate Gale. Which brought them back to Torbay, and having executed it's Commission, was im­mediately in another Corner.

Then, by the Princes Order, the Standard was put up; the White Flag uppermost, signifying his Offer of Peace to all that would live Peaceably; and under that the Red (or Bloody) Flag, denouncing War to all such as should offer to oppose his just Designs.

Of all this great Fleet, three Tenders only were intercepted by our Men of War. One of them a Fly-boat, having on Board four Companies of Foot of Colonel Babington's Regiment, com­manded by Major Collambine. This was taken by Captain Aylmer, Commander of the Swallow Frigat. The other two, being a small Pink and a Fishing Boat with 24 Horse, sepa­rated from the Fleet, were taken below Hole Haven by Cap­tain Hastings, Commander of the Woolwich.

Thus the Fleet landed at Torbay on the fifth of November. A memorable Day for the Gun-Powder Treason, which seems to have been marked out by Providence, that Englands Delive­rance in the Reign of James II. might begin the same Day that it was designed for Ruin and Destruction in the Reign of King James I. The Year also is memorable; this Deliverance fal­ling out in 88. just a hundred Years after England was deli­vered from the Spanish Invasion in Queen Elizabeth's Reign, when it pleased God to confound and disperse that formidable Armada, which for its Greatness was in vain called Invincible.

The Prince of Orange being come into the Bay, with the ma­jor part of the Floet, Boats were ordered to carry his Highness to Shore with his Gards, and the Noblemen that were about his Person. Who, being Landed, marched up the Hill, some before the Prince, and some after. Then the Guns fired from the Fleet, with the Beat of the Drums, the Sound of Trumpets, the Musick of Hoboys, and the joyful Huzza's of the Fleet and Army; the Ships with all their Colours out, and the Colours of the Land-Forces that went out with the Prince, flying and [Page 44]flourishing before his Highness. And, whilst he was viewing the Ground on the Top of the Hill in order to In [...]amp [...]h [...]s Army, all hands in the Fleet were at work to carry the Men and Horses, with their Necessaries, to Shore. So that the whole Army was Landed the next Day, being Tuesday, by three a Clock in the Afternoon; the Horse being Landed first, and then the Foot. But their Cannon and Carriages, &c. were sent a­bout for Topsham, and from thence brought up by Water to Exeter.

At the upper end of the Bay was a Fair House belonging to one Mr. Carey a Papist, who entertained a Priest in his House. This Priest having discovered the Fleet from the Leads of the House, with the White Flags on some of the Men of War, concluded it to be the French Fleet come to Assist King James against the Prince of Orange. Transported with Joy at the Conceit of it, he without any more ado ordered all the Family to the Chappel, to sing Te Deum for the Arrival of the French. But he was soon undeceived, and thererupon laughed at for his Religious Mistake.

This House the Prince of Orange, upon his Landing, com­manded to be Searched for Arms and Horses. Some Horses and a few Arms were found, and brought from thence; but without giving any further Disturbance to the House, where both the Searchers and the Searched entertained one another with mutual Civility.

Near the Sea-side were some Thatched Houses belonging to Fishermen, one of whom had the honour to Entertain the Prince at his House, till the Wednesday following. Which Day the Prince rode from this Place to Sir William Courtney's, within a mile of Newton-Abbot, the first Market-Town; the first Line of the Army being about Newton, and the last upon their March thither. Here a Divine, going before the Army, went to the Cross (or Town-Hall) on the Market-day; where he read aloud to the People the Prince's Declaration. Which ended with their joyful Acclamations, and kind Wishes to the Prince; fol­lowed soon after by Ringing of Bells, and Drinking of the Prin­ce's Health. And, as his Highness was most kindly received and entertained at Sir VVilliam Courtney's, so were the Soul­diers generally well treated by the Vulgar. Here began the [Page 45]Provi [...]ions to abound, which hitherto had been very scarce; and, as they were honestly paid for, so the Army was quickly supplyed with what the Co [...]ntry could afford.

On Thursday Nov. 8th. the Lord Mordant (now Earl of Monmouth) came to Exeter with three or four Troops of Horse, and Dr. Burnet with him. But, when they came to one of the Gates, it was shut against them. Upon which the Lord Mordant commanded the Porter, on pain of Death, to open the Gate. Which being open, his Lordship commanded him on the same Pain, not to shut it again. My Lord and the Doctor went to the Mayor, to Know if he would meet the Prince at the Gate, and govern the City under Him. VVhich he excused, telling him he was under the Obligation of an Oath to His Majesty, and therefore desired the Prince would lay no Commands on him contrary to his Conscience. Thus, after some Debate of the Matter, they parted; whilst the Forces kept coming to Town.

The next Day, being Friday Nov. 9th. the Prince came in­to Exeter, attended (besides his Gards) with a brave Train of Nobles, Knights, and Gentlemen. Upon the Road he met with Multitudes of People, who welcomed His Highness with their Shouts and Huzza's. The same was done at Exeter, where the Streets were thronged on each side, the Windows beautified, and full of joyful Spectators. Being come to the Dean's House, where He kept his Court, He took some Refreshment; and then was pleas'd to go and render Thanks to God in the Ca­thedral Church, for his [...]se Arrival. VVhere being sat in the Bishops Seat, then Absent, the Quire began, and Sung Te Deum; and, after the Collects were ended, Dr. Burnet Read the Prince's Declaration. Dr. Lamplugh, then Bishop of this Diocess, was fled to London upon the Prince's Landing at Tor­bay. VVhere having waited upon the King at White-Hall, His Majesty was pleased to reward this piece of his Loyalty by Translating him to the Archbishoprick of York, which had been a long time Vacant.

The main Body of the Army marched in the mean time, the Horse to the Neighbouring Parishes, and the Foot to Clist-Heath, where they Incamped. Both Horse and Foot look'd very much Disabled and Weather beaten, what with the Sea, and what with their March hither through bad Ways, and in Rainy [Page 46]Weather, Their H [...]r [...]s were for the most part to Weak, that they could scarce st [...]d upon their Legs. So that, if the K ng's Forces had been read at han [...], it might have gone very hard, in case o a Fight, with he Prince's Army. But it pleased God so to order it, that, while the King expected the Prince in the North, the Prince gave him the Go [...]by, and took his Course a gr [...]at way to the West; that, being upon his Landing at a good distance from His Majesties Forces, He might have time to Refresh His own, before they could come to Action.

The Prince therefore thought fit to stay a while at Exeter, but this was not the only Reason. Not a Person of Quality and Interest in those Parts, (besides Sir William Courtney,) had joyned Him hitherto, which His Highness did much wonder at. Only on the Monday, Nov. 12, one Captain Burrington came, and offered him his Service; who was accordingly very kindly received by His Highness. But, two Days after, several noted Gentlemen of Dorset-Shire and Somersetshire came in to Joyn the Prince, and waited on His Highness Thursday Nov. 15 To whom He spoke after this manner.

Both the Clergy and Gentry of this County were uneasy, for fear that King James should prevail, and therefore back­ward to declare for the Prince. But the People were forward enough. For, when the Drums beat for Volunteers, they came in apace from all Parts of the County, insomuch that many Captains pickt and chose their Souldiers. Thousands did list themselves to whom Arms were Given; and many more would have done the same, who were dismissed, upon Mareschal Schombergs Advice, that there was no need of them. Thus the Citizens Fears of King James's Forces lessening every day, they began to talk now more free­ly, and to be more and more inclined towards the Prince. The Mayor himself and Aldermen, much taken up with their Con­sultations upon the present Juncture, came at last to visit his Highness.

The Lord Lovelace coming through Cirencester in Glocester­shire to joyn the Prince at Exeter with near 70 Horse very well appointed, had the Misfortune to be stopt at that Town, and seized with thirteen of his Party, by the Officers of the Militia. Who met however with so sharp a Resistance, that several of them were killed, and others wounded. Amongst the first were Lorege Major of the Regiment and his Son, Cap­tain Lee a Deputy Lieutenant of the County, and Williams a Lieutenant.

About the same time, viz. on Monday Nov. 12, the Lord Cornbury, Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Dragoons, march­ed from Salisbury, in order to bring over that Regiment, and two more of Horse, to the Prince of Orange. Which two Regiments of Horse were the Royal Regiment, and the Duke [Page 48]of S. Alban's, then Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Lang­ston. They marched together, first to Dorcester, where they refreshed themselves; and then went on to Bridport, and Ax­mister. Upon which several Officers, mistrusting his Lordship, asked him whither they were going? Who answered, he had the King's Orders to beat up the Enemies Quarters at Honiton. But finding the Royal Regiment of Horse, and several Officers of the Dragoons, did more and more suspect him, his Lord­ship marched with the Officers and Dragoons that would follow him towards Honiton, Lieutenant Colonel Langston marching before with the Regiment of S. Albans. As for the Royal Regiment of Horse, and the rest of the Dragoons, they march­ed back towards Bridport, being very much wearied by their long Marches, and put into some Disorder by so great a Sur­prize.

Salisbury Plain was the Place of Rendez-vous for the Kings Ar­my, consisting of above 30000 Men, with a Great Train of Ar­tillery, under the Command of the Earl of Feversham; and all the Forces drew that Way, in order to a Battle.

Mean while, to bring Things to an Accommodation, and pre­vent Effusion of Blood, a Petition for the Calling of a Free Parliament, Subscribed by Nineteen Lord, both Spiritual and Temporal, was presented to the King by the Lords Spiritual; viz. the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, the Arch-Bishop of York Elect, the Bishop of Ely, and the Bishop of Rochester, in these Words.

The King's Answer.To which the King gave this Answer. My Lords, VVhat you ask of Me I most passionately desire; And I promise you, upon the Faith of a King, That I will have a Parliament, and such an One as You ask for, as soon as ever the Prince of Orange has quit­ted this Realm. For how is it possible a Parliament should be Free in all its Circumstances, as you Petition for, whilst an Enemy is in the Kingdom, and can make a Return of near an hundred Voices?

This was the King's Pretence for shunning a Parliament. Which, being Regularly chosen, would in all probability call his evil Counsellors to an account, whom He thought himself bound in Honour to Protect; and strictly Inquire into the Birth of the pretended Prince of VVales, the Questioning of which was a Stab at his Heart. A Parliament that would probably bind up the Prerogative, pull down the Dispensing Power, and damn that Beast with Seven Heads, the Ecclesiastical Court. A Par­liament that would prove fatal to his dearly beloved Priests and Jesuits, and that would have pulled down all their Schools and Chappels, had they not been prevented by the unaccountable Zeal of the Mobile. Lastly, The King foresaw, that the Prince would have demanded some Forts to be put into his Hands and the Parliaments, for their Security. So that He expected, in case of a Free Parliament, to be but a Nominal King, and an unhappy Instrument of the Ruin of his Child, Friends, and Religion. And, rather than do that, He chose to Perish.

On the other side, He might flatter himself with hopes, 1. That we should never be able to Agree, after he had made it impossible for us to have a Legal Parliament. 2. That, when the Fear and Disorder were over, the Church of England Prin­ciples would form a great Party for him in the Nation. 3. That the French King would Assist him with Forces and Mony; and, [Page 50]if he should prevail by Force, then by a Popish Army he would for ever Insure the Slavery of England.

The only Advantage we could pretend to have by the Com­ing over of the Prince of Orange with an Army was, to force the King to what he would never have yielded without that Force. And, had the Prince gone back Re infecta, 'tis not likely the King would have then granted us what he would not do now. Suppose he had called a Parliament, what Assurance could we have of their Sitting, as long as he should have no Occasion to Fear? Then, to be sure, he would have disbanded the Protestants of his Army, and supply'd their rooms with Irish Papists, to have at last a Parliament (if a Parliament must be had) of their making.

This being at that time the Posture of our Affairs, that the Prince referred all to a Parliament, and the King would have none before he had quitted the Kingdom, all Things seemed disposed to the Decision of a Bettel. In order to which his Ma­jesty, accompanied by his Highness Prince George of Denmark, parted upon Saturday Nov. 17. from VVhite-hall for VVindsor, where he lay that Night; and the next Day continued his Jour­ny to Salisbury, whither he came the 19th.

About this time appeared a Letter from the Prince to the King's Army, in these words.

The Prince's Army began now to be in good heart, and one Man was as good as two when they came first to Exeter. Every day his Highness went out to view the Country with the Ma­reschal de Schomberg, and went once as far as Autry, 12 miles from Exeter. In the mean time Mr. Seymour was made Gover­nour, and one Major Gibson Deputy-Governour. For the ma­naging the Revenue here, the Lord Wiltshire, Mr. Herbord, and Mr. Row were appointed Commissioners.

The Prince's Court began also to swell. For, besides those great Persons which had attended his Highness from Holland hither, viz. Mareschal Schomberg, Count Nassaw, Count Solms, the Lords Zulestein, Bentick, and Overkirk; of the English Na­tion the Earls or Shrewebury and Macclesfield, Viscount Mordant, Lord Wiltshire, end Colonel Sidney, and of the Scotch the Earl of Argile, with several other Persons of Quality; here came to his Highness the Lord Cornbury, the Earl of Abington, and the Lord Colchester, besides a great Number of Gentry. Who all entred together into an Association to Assist the Prince of Orange in the Defence of the Protestant Religion, Laws, and Liberties of the People of England, Scotland, and Ireland, in these Words.

An In­gagement of the No­bility at Exeter to stand by the Prince of Orange. We do Ingage to Almighty God, and to his Highness the Prince of Orange, and with one another, to stick firm to this Cause, and to one another in the 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 under Po­pery and Slavery. And, whereas we are ingaged in the Common Cause under the Protection of the Prince of Orange, by which means his Person may be exposed to Danger, and to the desperate and cur­sed Designs of Rapists, and other bloody Men, We do therefore so­lemnly Ingage to God, and to one another, That, if any such At­tempts be made upon Him, We will pursue not only those that made them, but all their Adherents, and all We find in Arms against Us, with the utmost Severity of just Revenge in their Ruin and Destructi­on; and that the Executing any such Attempt (which God of his infinite Mercy forbid) shall not deprive Us from pursuing the Cause which We do now undertake, but that it shall Incourage us to carry it on with all the Vigour that so barbarbous an Approach shall do serve.

By this strict Association, the Prince saw how well these No­ble Lords and Gentlemen were disposed towards his Highness, and for the promoting the Good of the Common Cause.

In the mean time he received Intelligence of the first Skir­mish that hapned between the two Armies at Wincanton. To which Place a small Party of Major General Mackay's Regi­ment being advanced, to provide Carriage, Collonel Sarsfield having Notice of it marched thither with a Detachment of 70 Horse, and 50 Dragoons and Granadiers, in order to cut them off. Who, hearing of Sarsfield's Approach, resolved upon a stout Defence, notwithstanding their small Number, being but 25. In order to which, Cambel their Lieutenant, posted them in a small Inclosure at the East end of the Town, where there was a good Hedge between them and the Road. Here they made a vigorous Defence, and several were killed and wounded on both sides; when of a sudden, upon a false Alarm of a strong Party of the Prince's Horse coming, Sarsfield and his Men retreated with all speed, and in some disorder. And, tho he had little Cause to boast of this Action, yet our Gazette did so magnifie it, that by it's Account of it 30 of the Prince's Men were kil­led out of 25, besides 6 taken, and 15 that made their escape.

One would think, the King by this time had done with Pro­clamations. [Page 53]His Majesty was two to one at least as to the Num­ber of Forces; and yet, to Ingross all to himself, he put out a Proclamation at Salisbury, Nov. 22. to Intice away all the Prince's Army, and so leave him by himself. By this Pro­clamation, first, He Offers and Grants his Pardon to all his Sub­jects that had taken up Arms with Foreigners and Strangers against Him and their Native Country; And next, to all such Foreigners as should come over to Him, promising either to Entertain them in his Service, or Grant them (if they should desire it) freedom of Passage, and liberty to Return to the Respective Countries from whence they came.

But this Stratagem would not do. And his Highness, having now received an Account of the Motions and Proceedings in the North for the Support of the Common Cause, prepared all Things for his March towards the King's Army. The Lords concerned in the North were the Earls of Devonshire, Stamford, and Damby, the Lord Delamere, and others; who, being met at Nottingham with great Numbers of the Gentry, and a com­petent Force of Horsemen well appointed, to repel all Op­posers, unanimously subscribed to this Declaration, Nov. 23. the same Day that the King put out his Proclamation.

The De­claration of the Nobility, and Gen­try, &c. at the Rendez­vous at Notting­ham. We the Nobility, Gentry, and Commonalty of these Northern Counties assembled together at Nottingham, for the Defence of our Laws, Religion, and Liberties, according to those Free-born Liber­ties and Priviledges descended to Ʋs from our Ancestors, as the Ʋndoubted Birth-right of the Subjects of this Kingdom of England (not doubting but the Infringers and Invaders of our Rights will Re­present us to the rest of the Nation in the most malicious Dress they can put upon us) do here Ʋnanimously think it our Duty to Declare to the rest of our Protestant Fellow Subjects the Grounds of our present Ʋndertaking.

We are by innumerable Grievances made sensible, that the very Fundamentals of our Religion, Liberties, and Properties, are about to be Rooted out by our late Jesuitical Privy Council, as has been of late too apparent. 1. By the King's Dispensing at his Pleasure with all the Established Laws. 2. By Displacing all Officers out of all Offices of Trust and Advantage, and Placing others in their Room that are Known Papists, deservedly made Incapable by the Esta­bished Laws of our Land. 3. By Destroying the Charters of most [Page 54]Corporations in the Land. 4. By Discouraging all Persons that are not Papists, preferring such as turn to Popery. 5. By Displacing all honest and conscientious Judges, unless they would, contrary to their Consciences, declare that to be Law which was merely Ar­bitrary. 6. By Branding all Men with the Name of Rebels, that but offered to justify the Laws in a Legal Course against the Ar­bitrary Proceedings of the King, or any of his corrupt Ministers. 7. By Burdening the Nation with an Army, to maintain the Vio­lation of the Rights of the Subjects. 8. By Discountenancing the Established Reformed Religion. 9. By Forbidding the Subjects the Benefit of Petitioning, and construing them Libeliers; so rendering the Laws a Nose of Wax, to serve their Arbitrary Ends. And many more such like, too long here to enumerate.

We being thus made sadly sensible of the Arbitrary and Tyranni­cal Government that is by the Influence of Jesuitical Counsels com­ing upon us, do Ʋnanimously Declare, That not being willing to deliver our Posterity over to such a Condition of Popery and Slave­ry, as the aforesaid Oppressions inevitably threaten, We will to the utmost of our Power Oppose the same, by Joyning with the Prince of Orange, whom we hope God Almighty has sent to Rescue us from the Oppressions aforesaid, and will use our utmost Indeavours for the Recovery of our almost ruined Laws, Liberties, and Religion. Wherein we hope all good Protestant Subj cts will with their Lives and Fortunes be Assistant to us, and not be Bug-beared with the Op­probrious Term of Rebels, by which they would fright us to become perfect Slaves to their Tyrannical Insolencies and Ʋsurpations. For We assure our selves, that no rational and unbiassed Person will judge it Rebellion to Defend our Laws and Religion, which all our Princes have Sworn at their Coronation. Which Oath how well it has been observed of late We desire a Free Parliament may have the Consi­deration of.

We own it Rebellion to Resist a King that Governs by Law. But he was always accounted a Tyrant that made his Will the Law, and to Resist such a one we justly esteem no Rebellion, but a necessa­ry Defence. And in this Corsideration We doubt not of all honest Mons Assistance, humbly hoping for and imploring the great God's Protection, that turns the Hearts of the People as pleases him best. For it has been observed, that People can never be of one Mind without his Inspiration; which has confirmed the Saying, Vox Populi Vox Dei.

The present Restoring of Charters, and Reversing the oppressing and unjust Judgment given of Magdalen College Fellows, is plain, are but to still the People, like Plums to Children, by deceiving them for a while. But, if they shall by this Stratagem be fooled, t [...]ll the present Storm that threatens the Papists be past, as soon as th [...]y shall be Re-settled, the former Oppression will be put on with greater Vigour. But we hope in vain is the Net spread in the sight of the Birds. The Old Rule of Papists is so well known, that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks, as they term Protestants, tho the Popish Religion is the greatest Heresy. 'Tis well known how ill Q. Mary observed her Promises to the Suffolk Men that helped her to the Throne. And how the Pope Dispenses with the Breach of Oaths, Treatises, or Promises, at his Pleasure, when it makes for the Ser­vice of the Holy Church, as they term it. These are such convincing Reasons to hinder Ʋs from giving Credit to the aforesaid Mock-shews of Redress, that We think our selves bound in Conscience to rest on no Security that shall not be approved by a Freely Elected Parliament; to whom, under God, we Refer our Cause.

To this Declaration the Northern Commonalty, sensible of the Justice of it, and Influenced besides by the Interest and Example of so many Lords and Gentlemen, did readily Sub­scribe; and the Militia was Raised upon it, who gave a great Stroke towards the Revolution. For the News of it coming to the Kings Ears at Salisbury struck such a Damp upon his Spirits, that he began now to think his Case desperate.

To the same Effect was a Paper delivered from the Nobility and Gentry of the North by the Earl of Devonshire to the Mayor of Darby, where his Lordship Quartered the 21▪ of November; that is, for the Meeting and Sitting of a Par­liament freely and duly Chosen. With a declared Resolution therein, That, in case any Interruption should be given to the Pro­ceeding of a Parliament, they, the Nobility and Gentry of the Nor­thern Parts of England, would to their utmost Defend the Prote­stant Religion, the Laws of the Kingdom, and the Rights and Li­berties of the Subject.

In the County of Norfolk, the Duke who bears that Title, found the Gentry and Common People in the same Disposition. Being come to Lyn, attended by many of the Principal Men in the County, he received an Address in the Market-place, presented in these Words to his Grace by the Mayor, attended by the Body, and many hundreds of the Inhabitants.

To which his Grace was pleased to Answer thus.

By this Desertion the King grew more and more sensible how little he was to depend upon an Army, which daily mouldred away; Not for want of natural Affection to his Majesty, but only to bring him off from his evil Counsellors, and into a necessity of Complying with the general Desire of the Nation to have all Things Rectified by a Free and Legal Parliament

Before the King left Salisbury, there hapned such a sudden Gust of Wind as hurried down the Crown which had stood many Years upon the top of a Spire of the Cathedral. This was lookt upon as an ill Omen to the King. And so was his Maje­sties violent Bleeding at the Nose, that could not be stopt for a long time any manner of way.

The Vangards of both Armies being now near each other, a Party of the Prince's appeared not far from Salisbury. Upon which King James and his Army, thinking the Prince's whole Force were coming upon them, took the Alarm; so that his Ma­jesty in the midst of his Bleeding ordered his Coach forth­with to be made ready, and drive away to Windsor. Upon whose Departure, his Forces in great haste and disorder march­ed, some one way, some another.

The King being come to Andover, which was his first Stage homeward, his Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark, accompanied by his Grace the Duke of Ormond, and the Lord Drumlangrig, withdrew from his Majesty in the Night, in order to joyn the Prince of Orange at Sherborn; which they did the 29th. From whence Prince George sent a most ten­der Letter to the King, in these following Terms.

This was a strange Time for Flight. For, whilst the King fled from Salisbury, and the Prince of Denmark from the King, the Princess also took her Flight from the Cock-pit. Her Royal Highness, then big of the Duke of Glocester, not being able to bear the King's Displeasure upon the Princes account or her own, withdrew her self Nov. 26. early in the Morning, and went with the Ladies Churchill and Berkley, and the Lord Bishop of London, to the North, where the Forces were in Arms for the Prince of Orange. Upon which her Royal Highness left a Letter for the Queen, in these following Words.

The same Day the Princess went, the King returned to White­hall from Salisbury. Who, seeing how Things went, first tur­ned Sir Edward Hales out of his Government of the Tower, who being a Papist had threatned to Bomb the City; and made Colonel Bevile Skelton Lieutenant of the Tower, who had been a Prisoner there but a few Days before. Then his Majesty gave Order to the Lord Chancellour to Issue out Writs for summoning a Parlia­ment to meet at Westminster the 15th. day of January next. Which was a great Step towards a Reconcilement, if so be the King had really intended it. But it proved a meer Amusement. For his [Page 61]Heart did beat for Versailles; and the Pretence of a Parliament was only to posses the People with an Opinion, that he was resolved to be Reconciled with them at any Rate, and in the mean time to Prepare himself under hand for a Retreat.

Nov. 30. He signed the Proclamation for the speedy Calling of a Parliament, and ordered it with all speed to be Published. Never was false Coin better plated, than this Proclamation was worded to amuse the People. These are the VVords.

His Highness the Prince of Orange, having staid some Days at Sherborn, moved towards Salisbury, by the VVay of Mere. At his Entrance into Salisbury, which was in great State, he was met by the Mayor and Aldermen in all their Formalities, the Bells ringing, the People shouting, and the whole City in a Transport of Joy at the sight of their Deliverer. His High­ness rode into the City, with the Prince of Denmark at his right hand, and the Duke of Ormond on his left; and took up his Quarters at the Bishop's Palace. Here his Highness made a Halt for some Days. VVhich the Princess of Denmark having notice of, she came to Oxford, attended by a select Troop of Country Gentlemen well Armed; where Prince George went to meet her Royal Highness.

All the way the Army marched, Care was taken to disperse the Prince's Declaration; and where they hapned to Quarter upon Sundays, there it was read in the Churches. By this time the King's Army was much broken, most of the Protestant Offi­cers and Souldiers come away, and Joyned his Highnesses Forces. So that there was no Prospect of a Field-Battel.

After some Stay here the Prince came away, and marched to Amsbury, from thence to Collingburn, and so to Littlecot, where he came on Saturday Decemb. 8.

In the mean time the Lords Commissioners, viz. the Mar­quess of Hallifax, the Earl of Nottingham, and the Lord Go­dolphin, appointed by the King to treat with the Prince of Orange, were come to Hungerford, being the Place agreed on for that purpose by the Prince. To whom a VVriting, subscribed by their Lordships, was delivered in these following VVords.

In Answer to which, these following Proposals were made by the Prince, with the Advice of the Lords and Gentlemen As­sembled with his Highness.

1. That all Papists, and such Persons as were not Qualified by Law, should be Disarmed, Disbanded, and Removed from all Imployments, Civil and Military. 2. That all Proclama­tions which Reflected upon his Highness, or any that was come over to him, or had declared for him, should be Recalled; and, if any Persons, for so doing, had been Committed, they should be forthwith set at Liberty. 3. That, for the Security and Safety of the City of London, the Custody and Government of the Tower be immediately put into the hands of the said City. 4. That, if his Majesty shall think to be at London during the Sit­ting of the Parliament, his Highness might be there also, with equal Number of Gards. Or, if his Majesty should rather chuse to be in any Place from London, his Highness might be at a Place of the same Distance. 5. That the Respective Armies should Remove 30 Miles from London, and no more Foreign Forces should be brought into the Kingdom. 6. That, for the Security of the City of London, and their Trade, Tilbury-Fort be put into the hands of the said City. 7. That to pre­vent the Landing of French, or other Foreign Troops, Ports­mouth be put into such hands as by the King and Prince should be agreed upon. 8. That some sufficient Part of the Publick [Page 64]Revenue be assigned his Highness, for the Maintaining of his Forces till the Meeting of the Parliament.

The King, upon the View of these Proposals, Resolved upon a speedy Retreat into France. The Prince of Wales so called was sent for before-hand to go thither along with the Queen, who accordingly set out December 10. And the next Day, ear­ly in the Morning, the King, attended by Sir Edward Hales, went away from White-kall Incognito.

Before his Departure he sent Notice of it to the Earl of Fever­sham, by a Letter framed in these Words.

The Earl of Feversham, upon the Receipt of the Letter, immediately dispatched a Messenger to the Prince, to let him know, That, having received a, Letter from the King with the Ʋnfortunate News of his Going out of England, and his Maje­stics Order (as he expresses it) to make no Opposition against [Page 65]any body, he thought himself obliged to acquaint his Highness with it as soon as it was possible, to prevent Effusion of Blood; To which pur­pose he had given the last Order to all the Troops that were under his Command.

Before the King's Departure, several Papists foreseeing the Revolution, had withdrawn themselves beyond Sea. Now the Priests and Jesuites, who expected no Quarter, began to shift for themselves, and run some one Way, some another. Those a­mong the Protestants who were the most Obnoxious, and had so basely comply'd with the Times, were also put to their Shifts. Some of both sorts were Apprehended; but most made their Escape, or lay Undiscovered. The Lord Chancellor Jeffreys, a Mezzo-tinto Protestant, as forward as any Papist to Comply with King James's Designs, was taken in a Disguise at Wapping Dec. 12. and committed to the Tower; where he pined away, and died some time after. The Earl of Peterborough being secured in Kent, as he was making his Escape, was also sent to the Tower.

In the mean time the Disbanded Army dispersed it self up and down the City and Country in an unusual and unwarrantable man­ner, to the great Disturbance of the Publick Peace and Quiet. The Mobile on the other side, taking an Advantage of this State of Anarchy, fell to work, by burning, pulling down, and other­wise defacing several Houses and publick Buildings of the Ro­man Catholicks, rifling and plundering the same. And, with­out any Regard to the Character of Embassadours, they pulled down and plundered the Spanish Embassadors House; whose Damages were afterwards abundantly made up by the Govern­ment. Thus King James lest his Party to the Mercy of the Rab­ble, whose unaccountable Outrages and Violences could not be prevented in that critical Time. Yet their Rage fell much short of what the Papists expected, considering their former Provoca­tions; for I could not hear of any Hurt they did to their Persons. Whereas the major Part of them expected nothing less than Death and Destruction; as it had been our Fate, had our Case been their own. Which piece of Moderation from a loose, provoked, and mighty Rabble, without the Restraint of any Government, is not to be parallel'd in History.

As for the false Alarm which hapned upon it of the desperate Irish Forces Burning and Plundering, and putting to the Sword all they met in their Way, as Improbable as the Thing was in it self, yet it got such [Page 66]Credit all over the Kingdom, that the whole Nation was in a ferment upon it, and all the Militia in Arms to oppose the pretended Fury of a sort of Men, which the Sound of a Horn had newly put to Flight at Reading, and that of an old Barrel at Maidenhead. But, however the Alarm was given, it was not without some Design; and, whatever was in the Top, one might easily guess, that Policy was in the Bottom. For, to imagine that four or five thousand Irish should all of a sudden be grown so Desperate as to think to Post away this Nation with Fire and Sword, when the very sight of a less Number of resolute Men might have made them shew their Heels, was a Thing fitter to laugh at than to be concerned for.

One Thing is Observable in the King's Desertion, viz. the Great Seals be­ing cast into the Thames, as it was found out afterwards. Which lookt like a wilful Desertion of the Government, and an intire Abdication thereof. At least he seemed thereby to imply, that, in case he should Return, he was resolved not to Rule by Law, of which the Great Seal seems always to carry some Prints.

King James being thus gone, not able to bear the brunt of a Parliament, and the Writs prepared for it being stopt, made his Way by Water for France with all speed; till he hapned to be stopt at Feversham in Kent, as we shall see afterwards.

Upon the News of his being Gone, there was a Meeting that very Day at Guild-hall of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster, to the Number of nine and twenty; who agreed upon, and signed a Declaration. In which, having first expressed their Zealous Concern for the Nation in this dangerous Conjuncture, upon the King's having Withdrawn himself in order to his Departure out of this Kingdom, they Unanimously Declared their Resolution to apply themselves to His Highness the Prince of Orange, and to Assist him with their utmost Indea­vours in the speedy Obtaining of a Parliament, whereby our Laws, Liberties, and Properties might 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 might be Supported and Incouraged. They further Declared, That in the mean time they would Indeavour to Preserve, to the utmost of their Power, the Peace and Security of London and Westminster, and the Parts adjacent; And, if any Thing more could be performed by Them, for promot­ing His Highnesses generous Intentions for the Publick Good, that they would be ready to do it, as Occasion should require. With which Declaration four of their Body, Viz. the Earl of Pembroke, the Lord Viscount Wey­mouth, the Bishop of Ely, and the Lord Culpeper, were desired to attend His Highness. Which they did accordingly.

The same day two Addresses were Agreed upon, one from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and the Commons of the City of London in the Common Council Assembled, and another from the Lieutenancy of London; which were both presented to his Highness at Henly in Oxfordshire, Dec. 13. with the Lords Declaration. Which Addresses, in short, contained Their humble Acknowledgment of His Highnesses fervent Zeal for the Protestant Re­ligion, and of his Ʋnparalled Generosity in Exposing his Person to so many [Page 67]Dangers both by Sea and Land, to Rescue these Nations from Slavery and Popery; With a Declaration, that they presumed to make his Highness their Refuge, and therefore begged his Protection. And at last humbly beseeching his Highness to Repair with all convenient Speed to the Capital City, for the perfecting the great Work He had so happily begun.

The Prince, having now a certain Account of the King's being gone away, did put out a Declaration, Requiring all colonels and Comman­ders in Chief of the Regiments, Troops, and Companies of the Royal Army that had Dispersed themselves, to call together by Beat of Drum, or other­wise, the several Officers and Souldiers belonging to their respective Regi­ments, Troops, and Companies, in such Places as they should find most convenient for their Rendez-vous, and there to keep them in good Order and Discipline; And all such Officers and Souldiers forthwith to Repair to such Places as should be ap­pointed for that purpose by their respective Colonels and Commanders in Chief; whereof His Highness required speedy Notice to be given unto Him, for his further Orders.

The King in the mean time, who was supposed to be near the Coast of France. was unluckily stopt in a Smack nigh Feversham by some sturdy Fellows then Jesuite-hunting; and was Secured for One, till he came to be Known. Then he was prevailed upon to Re­turn to White-hall, which he did on the 16th. Where being Inform­ed of divers Outrages and Disorders that had been committed in his Absence, He was pleased that very Night in Council to give Orders for the preventing all such Outrages and Disorders for the future. Which proved the last Publick Act of his Regal Power.

His Highness the Prince of Orange was now come to Windsor, where he ari­ved on Friday Dec. 14. From whence he had sent the Sieur de Zulestein to the King, who likewise sent the Earl of Feversham to his Highness to Invite him to S. James's. But his Lordship was secured in the Castle, by the Prince's Order, for his late Irregular Disbanding of the King's Forces.

Decemb. 17. In the Night the King's Gards were changed by the Prince's, then arrived at S. James's Park. Which Proceeding the Jacobites do ex­claim against as a great piece of Iniquity, and look upon as unaccountable. But, as the Case stood, the Thing was unavoidable; and, as I am apt to think the King's Invitation was none of the more Cordial, so I presume this Proceeding of the Prince was not free from Reluctancy. Upon the King's Going off, the Lords Assembled at Guild hall, and the City, had put themselves under the Prince's Protection, as being left in a State of Anar­chy; and his Highness had now the Command of the King's Forces, so that it was in his power to order them as he thought most sutable to the present Juncture. Therefore it did not any way consist with his Honour to suffer this part of the said Forces to act independently from him in so critical a [...] Time, which might have occasioned a general Disturbance and Breach of the Peace, the Keeping whereof was the principal Care of his Highness. Who clapt his Gards upon the King, not out of any Design upon his Per­son, but rather to Secure him from any Attempts of a rude and incensed Rabble I would fain know what Harm befell him from this Change. It appears on the contrary by what follows, that, notwithstanding these Dutch [Page 68]Gards, the King might dispose of himself as he pleased. 'Tis for this the Lord without Doors clamoured and kept a heavy Splutter in his Speech to the House of Lords. Wherein, under pretence that the King was not gone out of his Territories, and that he might be where he would in his own Kingdom, he concludes there was no Desertion in the Case. But this is perfect Shuffling. 'Tis well known, that, if he had staid, a Parliament must be had, and that he dreaded nothing more than a Parliament that would rake up old Sores, and find out who made them. 'Tis well known, that his Heart panted after the Queen, and that he had no Business at Fe­versham. The Time and Manner of his Setting out are a plain Demon­stration, that he was quitting a Kingdom, which was now grown Uneasy to him; and his Casting the Great Seal into the Thames, adds much to the Argument. Had he but weathered the Point, and got clear off out of the River, 'tis ten to one that he had not been put to the trouble of a second Flight.

In order to which, seeing now his Case desperate, and the Prince at his Heels, he went about Noon from White-hall Dec. 18. to Sir Richard Head's nigh Rochester, still steering his Course towards France.

That very Day his Highness parted from Windsor, dined at Sion-House, and came in the Evening to S. James's. Where he received the Compli­ments of all the Nobility, and other Persons of the chiefest Quality in Town; And at Night the Streets were filled with Bonesires, with Ringing of Bells, and other Publick Demonstrations of Joy.

The next Day, Decemb. 19. Their Royal Highnesses Prince George and the Princess Ann of Denmark returned from Oxford to the Cock-pit; where They were presently after Visited by his Highness the Prince of Orange. Who that Afternoon went also to Visit the Queen Dowa­ger at Somerset-House.

Decemb. 20. The Lord Mayor (Sir John Chapman) being indisposed, the Aldermen and their Deputies, with some of the Common Council of each Ward, by Order of the Common Council, Waited on the Prince of Orange, to Congratulate his Highness on his happy Arrival at S. James's. Which was performed by Sir George Treby the Recorder in an Eloquent Speech, and very favourably received by his Highness. The Speech was thus.

Decemb. 1. The Prince of Orange published an Order for Returning in­to the Publick Store the Arms of divers Souldiers that were lost or imbezelled, since the Disbanding of the Royal Army. At the same time he appointed Quarters for the English, Scotch, and Irish Forces, to which all Officers and Souldiers belonging thereto were ordered forthwith to Repair.

Decemb. 23. Was the Day when the King, notwithstanding his Dutch Gards about him, made shift to give them the slip. So that he got safe into France, where the Queen was arrived before with the sup­posed Prince of Wales. Thus he left us again in an unsetled Conditi­on; But Care was taken to secure the Peace.

In this Condition, had the Prince of Orange had any Design to take the Government upon him, this was the Time. He was now come to the Capital City of the Kingdom, through a perpetual Croud of Applauses and Benedictions, and had the Hearts of all true English Protestants. Being a Prince of the Royal Blood that stood so near to the Immediate Succession, and having besides a good Army with him, he had nothing to do but what he might easily have done; that is, to make a Party to support his Interest, and withstand all Opposition. The Law it self could have afforded him a Claim, it being an undoubt­ed Maxim among Lawyers, That the Success of a Just War gives a Lawful Title to that which is acquired in the Progress of it And (as the Learned Bishop of Salisbury says in his Pastoral Letter) if at Common Law an Heir in Remainder has just Cause to Sue him that is in Possession, if he makes Wasts on the Inheritance which is his in Reversion, much more ought the Heir of the Crown to Interpose, when he sees him that is in Possession hurried on blind-fold to sub­ject an Independent Kingdom to a Foreign Jurisdiction, and thereby to Rob it of it's Glory and Security. Especially when 'tis plain, this must occasion the greatest Ruin and Miseries possible to that King­dom; and when a pretended Heir was set up in such a manner, that the whole Kingdom believed it Spurious. In such a Case it cannot be denied, even according to the highest Principles of Passive Obedi­ence, [Page 70]that another Sovereign Prince might make War on a King so abusing his Power; and that this was the Case in Fact, will not be called in question by any Protestant, Therefore King James, having so far sunk in the War, that he both abandoned his People and desert­ed the Government, all his Right and Title did accrue to the Prince in the Right of a conquest over him. So that, if he had then assum­ed the Crown, the Opinion of all Lawyers must have been on his side. And which Way soever King James's Deserting the Government be turned, this Argument has much Weight. For, if he was forced to it, then here was a Conquest; and, if it was voluntary, it was a wilful D [...]sertion.

But, whatever Prospect His Highness might have of a Crown, either by the Sword, or the Law, or both Ways together, He chose rather to leave the Matter to the Determination of the Peers and People of England, cho­sen and Assembled together with all possible Freedom.

Mean while, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Assembled December 25. in the House of Lords at Westminster, and at the same time the Members of the Parliaments that had served during the Reign of King Charles 2d. met in the House of Commons, together with the Court of Aldermen and Common-Council of London. Who unanimously Agreed upon a general Convention of the Lords and Commons to Meet on the 22. of Jan. next; and pray'd his Highness in the mean time to take upon him the Administration of Publick Affairs, both Civil and Military, and the dis­posal of the Publick Revenues, till the Meeting of the said Convention. In Order to which Meeting, He sent at their Request, and according to their Directions, His Letters throughout the Kingdom.

Then came out two D [...]clarations from His Highness, One for Autho­rising Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, and other Officers and Ministers (not Papists) that were in Office upon the first day of December, to Act in their respective Places. Another, for the better Collecting the Publick Reve­nue. Besides an Order, for carrying on the Elections for the intended Convention with greater Freedom, and without any Colour of Force or Restraint. His Highness also took a convenient Care to Restrain the Li­centiousness of the Press within the bounds of the Law. Then He put forth a Declaration, for the better Quartering of the Forces. Another to Incourage the Sea-men of the Fleet, then labouring under Discontents, and absenting themselves, upon several untrue and groundless Reports Maliciously spread among them, and to warn them at their Peril to re­turn to their Duty. A third, to the same purpose, for the Land Forces.

Jaruary 22. being the day appointed for the Convention to meet at Wes;tminster, there they met accordingly. Where the two Speakers being chosen, viz. the Lord Marquis of Halliface for the House of Lords, and Henry Powle Esq for the Commons, a Letter from the Prince of Orange was read in both Houses, to this effect; That he had endeavoured to per­form what was desired from Him for the Publick Peace and safety during his Administration; and that it now lay on them to lay a Foundation of a firm Se­curity for their Religion, Laws, and Liberties; That he did not doubt but by [Page 71]such a full and Fret Representative of the Nation, the Ends of his Declaration would be attained. He recommended to them the dangerous Condition of Ire­land, and also the States of Holland, both which required large and spee [...]ly Succours; And to [...]d them that, since it had pleased God hitherto to bless his good Lite [...]tions with so great Success, be tr [...]sled in him, that he would complete his own Work, by sending a Spirit of Peace and Ʋnion to infl [...]ence their Course [...]s, that so no I [...]terruption might be given to a happy and lasting Settlement.

Whereupon the Lords and Commons unanimously resolved upon an Address to be presented to his Highness of [...]hanks for what he had done, and humbl [...] to desire him to continue the Administration of Publick Af­fairs, till farther Application were made by them to his Highness. A Day of Publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God was likewise appointed by both Houses, for having made his Highness the Prince of Orange a Glo­rious Instrument of the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power. And then the Lords and Commons went in a Body to St. James's, to present the fore-mentioned Address to his High­ness.

The State we were in required a speedy Settling of the Government on sure and lafting Foundations; and consequently, that such Person or Persons should be immediately placed in the Throne, in whom the Na­tion had most reason to repose an intire Confidence. It therefore now lay upon the Convention to Make so Judicious a Choice, as in all pro­bability might render us a happy People, and give our Posterity cause to Rejoyce, when they shall read the Proceedings of this Wise and Grand Convention.

'Tis observed that, before the Theocracy of the Jews ceased, even in the time of extraordinary Revelations, the manner of the Divine Designation of their Judges was by God's giving the People some Deliverance by the Hand of the Person, to whose Government they were appointed to sub­mit. Thus Othniel, Gideon, Jephthab, Samson, and others, were invested by Heaven with the supream Authority. And, tho' Josh [...]a had an imme­diate Command from God to succeed Moses, and an Anointing for that purpose by the laying on of Moses hands; yet the Foundation of the Peoples Submission to him was laid in Jora [...]n. Now what History can give an Instance, since that Theocracy ceased, of a Designation of any Person to any Government more visibly Divine than this was? To see a Nation of so various Opinions, Interests, and Factions fall suddenly from a turbulent and fluctuating State into a serene Calm, and their Minds so strangely united on a sudden, it shews from whence the Nation was Influenced. And whoever considers how the Posture of Foreign Affairs, which no humane Wisdom or Power could have brought about, made way for this Expedition; how the Prince's Counsels were all along di­rected, and crowned with Success, amongst so many Dangers and Diffi­culties, and that in so little time, and with so little Effusion of Blood, must needs see plainly the Finger of God in all this, pointing out to us what choice we were to make.

Yet various were the Projects amongst the Members of the Convention. Some were for Sending to the King, and Treating with him to Return, but [Page 72]under such Restraints as they thought should disable him from Invading our Laws, Religion, and Liberties. But what restraint could be put upon a King who was under a Vow of Restoring Popery? The Kingly Power (one would think) was sufficiently limited by the Law, so as to preserve the Religion and Liberties of the People, under the Glory and Great­ness of a King. But the Experince of King James his Reign shewed us sufficiently, how easy it was for a King to break through the [...]ence of the Laws, and that they were but Cobwebs to a Prince whose Zeal or Ambi­tion could not indure any Bounds. What Ways could be found out, so to [...]ye up his Hands as to Secure his Subjects, but such as must make him a meer Titular King; which had been a greater Affront put upon Maje­sty, than downright Deposing of him? He therefore chose rather to quit the Crown, than be turned from the sweet Exercise of an Absolute Pow­er to the State of a Baby King, to be turned and wound by his Subjects as they pleased, to observe their Dictates, and submit to their Moti­ons.

Some were for making the Princess of Orange Regent; Others, the Prince. Some again were for declaring the Crown forfeited or demi­sed, and proclaiming only the Princess of Orange Queen; Others, for making the Prince of Orange only King.

But the Plurality carryed it, first for having the Government Dissolved, then making the Prince and Princess of Orange joyntly King and Queen of England, &c. The publick Acts to run in the Name of Both; but the Executive Power to be solely in the King.

Thus King James II. for having indeavoured to Subvert the Constitution of the Kingdom by breaking the Original Contract between King and People, and by Advice of Jesuites and other wicked Persons Violated the Fundamental Laws, and having at last Withdrawn himself out of this Kingdom, was Voted by the House of Commons, to have Abdicat­ed the Government, and the Throne to be Vatant. And, after several Days Debates about it, the House of Lords at last fully Agreed all Things in Dispute. So that King James, having forfeited by his Male-Admi­nistration of the Regal Trust of the Executive Power, both in him­self and his Heirs Lineal and Collateral, the same devolved back to the People; Who might lawfully dispose thereof by their Represen­tatives, according to their good Will and Pleasure, for their future Go­vernment and Peace, Benefit and Security.

Which was a clear Assertion of the Peoples Right, a firm Evidence of a Contract broken, and a sure Precedent to all Ages; when, after a most solemn Debate, the Estates of England declare, That the King having Abdicated the Government, and the Throne thereby Vacant, They think fit to fill it again with One who is not Immediate in the Line. Fesides that it will be a Caution to succeeding Kings, of what sa­tal Consequence a general Derogation from the Laws may be, when they find by this Instance the Exercise of the Kingly Office in dan­ger, not only with Reference to Themselves, but precarious to their Family.

And now, to fill up the Throne, what better Choice could the Con­vention make, than of that very Prince, who with so great Expence, [Page 73]Hazard, conduct, Courage, and Generosity, had so wonderfully Rescu­ed us both from Spiritual and Temporal Slavery, and Restored us to our ancient Laws, Religion, and Properties? In Prudence, Honour, and Gratitude, they could do no less than Pray him to Accept the Crown. Which was done accordingly.

But the Nation's Gratitude and Generosity went further, by making the Prince and Princess of Orange King and Queen joyntly; it being a Demon­stration of the Inestimable Value the People had for Her Highness, notwith­standing the Male-Administration of her Unhappy Father.

Thus the Prince and Princess were made equal in Dignity, but not in Authority. For the Executive Power was solely lodged in the Prince. First, because two Persons equal in Authority might differ in Opinion, and consequently in Command; and it is evident, no Man can serve two Masters. Secondly, because a Man, by Nature, Education, and Ex­perience, is generally rendred more capable to Govern than a Woman. And, as the present State of Europe in general, so that of these Kingdoms in particular, required a vigorous and masculine Administration. To recover what was lost, to rescue what was in danger, and rectify what was amiss, could not be effected but by a Prince consummate in the Art both of Peace and War. A Prince of known Honour, profound Wis­dom, undaunted Courage, and incomparable Merit; naturally inclined to be Just, Merciful, and Peaceable, and to do all publick Acts of Ge­nerosity for the good of Societies. Therefore, as the Convention thought fit out of Generosity to declare the Prince and Princess King and Queen joyntly, that they might both equally share the Glory of a Crown, and we the Happiness of their Auspicious Reign; so out of Prudence they lodged the Executive Power in the Prince only, as the fittest Person under Heaven to Govern in this difficult Juncture.

During these Transactions the Princess of Orange arrived from Hol­land, and Landed at White-Hall on the 12th. of February; the welcome News whereof was received with all manner of Publick Demonstrati­ons of Joy.

The next Day the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons Assembled at Westminister, presented to the Prince and Princess their Declaration, by the Marquess of Hallifax Speaker to the House of Lords. Which Declaration contained a Sum of the late King James's Tres­passes upon the Laws of the Kingdom and the Liberties of the Peo­ple, the Vindication of the Ancient Rights and Liberties of the Peo­ple by declaring his assumed Power Illegal, their Offer of the Crown to Their Highnesies, and the new Oaths to be taken, according to the late Resolves of the Grand Convention.

The Offer of the Crown, with the Settlement thereof, was thus expresied; 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 Dig [...]ity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to them the said Prince and Princess, du­ring their Lives, and the Life of the Surviver 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 [Page 74]their joynt 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 An [...] 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.

Whereupon the Prince and Princess of Orange were that very Day (being the 13th. of February, 1688/9.) Proclaimed at White-Hall and in the City, King and Queen of England, France, and Ireland, by the Name of WILLIAM and MARY; each Proclamation being Ecchoed with Uni­versal Acclamations of Joy by the Multitudes of People which crowd­ed the Streets, Windows, and Balconies; and the Streets lined all the Way from Temple-Bar to the Royal-Exchange with four Regiments of the City Militia. The Night was concluded with Bonfires, Ringing of Bells, and all other Expressions of Duty and Affection to Their Ma­jesties KING WILLIAM and QƲEEN MARY, with hearty Wishes for Their long and happy Reign.

April 11th. Being appointed for their Coronation, Their Majesties were accordingly Crowned that Day at Westminster, with great Pomp and Solemnity, by the Lord Bishop of London; and the Day kept with great Ceremony in most of the chief Towns of England. The Coronati­on Oath was tendred by the Bishop to the King and Queen, in these several Articles, Their Majesties giving a distinct Answer to each of them.

Bishop. Will you solemnly Premise and Swear to Govern the People of this Kingdom of England, and the Dominions thereto belonging, according to the Statutes agreed on in Parliament, and the Laws and Customs of the same? King and Queen. I solemnly promise so to do.

Bishop. Will you to your power cause Law and Justice in Mercy to be executed in all Your Judgments? King and Queen. I will.

Bishop. Will You to the utmost of your power Maintain the Laws of God, the true Profession of the Gospel, and the Protestant Reformed Religion esta­blished by Law? And will you Preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of this Realm, and to the Churches committed to their Charge, all such Rights and Priviledges as by Law do or shall appertain unto them, or any of them? King and Queen. All this I promise to do.

After this the King and Queen laying his and her Hand upon the Ho­ly Gospels, said, The Things which I have here before Promised, I will Perform and Keep. So help me God. Then the King and Queen kissed the Book.

In Scotland the same Course was taken for Settling the Government there, by a Convention which met at Edenburg upon the 14th. of March, [Page 75]according to the Direction of the Prince of Orange (now King) and the Advice of several Lords and Gentlemen of Stotland then at London. Which Convention voted also King James by his Misgovernment to have forfeited the Right to the Crown, and the Throne to be Vacant. For the filling up whereof, they conferred the Crown upon WILLIAM and MARY, King and Queen of England, &c. and fetled the Succession in the same manner as our Conven­tion had done; with a new Oath of Allegiance to Their Majesties. Accord­ingly, on the 11th. of April 1689. being their Coronation-day at Westmin­ster, Their Majesties were proclaimed at Edenburg King and Queen of Scotland.

The 1 [...]th. of May next ensuing, being the Day appointed for the pub­lick Reception of the Commissioners sent up by the Estates of Scotland, (viz. the Earl of Argyle, Sir James Montgomery, and Sir John Dalrymple) to Of­fer the Crown of that Kingdom to their Majesties, and tender unto Them the Scottish Coronation Oath; they accordingly met at the Council Cham­ber at Three a Clock in the Afternoon, and were from thence conducted by Sir Charles Cotterel Master of the Ceremonies, to the Banqueting-House, being attended by most of the Nobility and Gentry of that Kingdom then residing here. The King and Queen went thither attended by many Per­sons of Quality, the Sword being carried before them by the Lord Car­drosse. And, Their Majesties being placed on the Throne under a rich Canopy, the Commissioners first presented a Letter from the Estates to the King, then the Instrument of Government, after that a Paper containing the Grievances to be Redressed, and lastly an Address to his Majesty, for turning the Meeting of the said Estates into a Parliament. All which being Signed by his Grace the Duke of Hamilton, as President of the Meeting, and Read to Their Majesties, the King returned to the Commissioners the fol­lowing Answer.

When I Ingaged in this Ʋndertaking, I had particular Regard and Consideration for Scotland; and therefore I did omit a Declaration in relation to That as well as to This Kingdom, which I intend to make good and effectual to them. I take it very kindly, that Scotland has expressed so much Confidence in and Affection to Me. They shall find Me willing to assist Them in every Thing that concerns the Weal and Interest of that Kingdom, by making what Laws shall be necessary for the Security of their Re­ligion, Property, and Liberty, and to ease them of what may be justly Grievous to them.

This done, the Coronation Oath was tendered to Their Majesties; which the Earl of Argile spoke word by word distinctly, and the King and Queen repeated it after him, holding their right Hands up, after the manner of taking Oaths in Scotland. The Oath was thus. We William and Mary, King and Queen of Scotland, faithfully Promise and Swear by this our solemn Oath, in presence of the Eternal God, That during the whole Course of our Life, we will serve the same Eternal God to the uttermost of our Power, according as he has requited in his most Holy Word revealed and contained in the New and Old Testament; and according to the same Word shall Maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus, the Preaching of his Holy Word, and the due and right Ministration of the Sacraments now Received and Preached within the Realm of Scotland, and shall Abolish and Gainstand all false Religion contrary to the same; and shall Rule the People com­mitted to our Charge according to the Will und Command of God, revealed in his aforesaid Word, and according to the laudable Laws and Constitutions received in this Realm, no ways rep [...]gnant to the said Word of the Eternal God; and shall pro­cure to the utmost of our Power to the Kirk of God and whole Christian People true [Page 76]and perfect Peace in all time coming. That we shall preserve and keep inviolated the Rights and Rents, with all [...]st Priviledges of the Crown of Scotland; neither shall We Transfer, nor Alienate the same. That We shall forbid and repress in all Estates and Degrees Reis Oppression, and al [...] kind of i [...]rong; and We shall command and procure that Justice and Equity in all Judgments be keeped to all Persons with­out exception, as the Lord and Father of Mercies shall be merciful to us. That We shall be careful to Root out all Hereticks and Enemies to the true Worship of God, that shall be Convilled by the true Kirk of God of the aforesaid Crimes, out of Our Lands and Empire of Scotland. And We saithfully Affirm the Things above-writ­ten by Our Solemn Oath.

But, at the Repeating that Clause in th [...] Oath which relates to the Root­ing out of Hereticks, the King Daclared, That he did not mean by these Words, that he was under any Obligation to become a Persecutor. To which the Com­missioners, Authorized thereto by the Estates of Scotland, made Answer, That neither the Meaning of the Oath, nor the Law of Scotland, did imp [...] it. Then the King replied, That he took the Oath in that sense, and called for Witnesses the Commssioners and others present. And then both Their Majesties signed the said Co [...]onation Oath. After which the Commissioners, and several of the Scottish Nobility, kissed Their Majesties Hands.

Thus WILLIAM and MARY, Prince and Princess of Orange, were by the Grace and Providence of God, for the good of these Kingdoms, made King and Queen of Great Britain, in Opposition to all Malecontents. A Race of Men content in no Condition, who in a State of Slavery are eager for Liberty, and when set at Liberty are again for Slavery. These are the Tools hitherto made use of by King Lewis, to distract these Kingdoms (under the specious Pretence of Restoring the late King James to the Throne) by their dark Plotting here against the Government, and their o­pen Rebellion in Scotland. Where the Duke of Gourdon, Governour of Edenburg Castle, held it out for King James till the 13th. of June; and the Lord of Dundee, at the Head of an Army of Rebels, was killed in a Field-fight on the 1st. of August. From which time the Rebels there never thrived, but were glad at last to imbrace Their Majesties most Gracious Pardon.

The greatest Difficulty was to Reduce Ireland, then in the hands of Pa­pists, fortifyed with a great Army, assisted by the French King, and influ­enced by the late King James. Who look'd upon ireland as a Back-door for him to return into England, with a Crucifix in one hand, and a Sword in the other. Ireland. that had been so often Conquered by the English, was now to Conquer England; and the Irish did not by their Shouls consider, whether it was for King James or King Lewis. They were pleased with the Notion of an Infallible Conquest; and, before they had drawn the Sword, they fell forsooth dividing the Spoil amongst themselves. Incouraged by King James's Presence, now come from France to Dublin about the begin­ning of the Year 89, nothing was to stand before them, London-Derry, in the North of Ireland, was the only place of Note that stood out for Their Majesties. The French and Irish being resolved to reduce it by Fire, Sword, and Famine, sat before it; and brought it to that extremity, that good part of the Town was by French Bombs reduced into Ashes, and a­bove 5000 of the Inhabitants died for want of Provisions. Yet, under these dismal Circumstances, the Town held out, under the Conduct of that Mar­tial [Page 77]Clergy-Man the Reverend Dr. Walker, till it was Relieved by Major General Kirk July 31. 1689. What happened since all the World knows. The famous Battle at the River Boyne, fought the next Year after, is an e­ternal Monument of King William's incomparable Valour and Conduct, and of God's wonderful Providence over his Royal Person. By this Battle, where­in he was blessed with a glorious Victory, he drove King James with full speed out of Ireland, he got possession of the Capital City of Dublin, be­sides Drogheda, Wexford, Waterford, and other places of less note; so that two parts in three of Ireland were in a manner Reduced in one Campaign. Afterwards Cork and Kingsale were happily Recovered by the Earl of Marl­borough. And this Years Expedition under the Chief Conduct of that Va­liant, Fortunate, Wise, and Skilful General, the Baron de G [...]okle, will be eternally famous for Compleating so Successfully the Reduction of that Kingdom, by the Surrender of Ballymore, the Taking of Athlone by Storm, the great Victory at Agh [...]im, the surrender of Galloway and Sl [...]g [...], and at last that of Limerick, a Place lookt upon as alm [...]st Impregnable. So that we see now a Kingdom, which (besides its own Strength) has been power-fully Assisted by the French, and Countenanced by the late King James, in­tirely Reduced to their Majesties Obedience, at the end of two Campaigns. Which I hope may convince the most Obstinate, especially after a long Chain of unaccountable and unlookt for Providences, that this great Re­volution is not only by the Will or Permission of Almighty God, but that it is his own Work; who is free to dispose of Crowns and Kingdoms, to shew Mercy and Judgment upon whom he pleases. And, if it be so, I cannot imagine how Intailed Kings (good or bad) can be more de J [...]e Divino than our Great King William.

Thus we see King James II. an Unfortunate Prince, who might have been a most glorious Monarch, fal'n (with the Loss of three Crowns) a Sacrifice to Priests and Jesuits; and fain to creep under the Shelter of a King, who is not like to hold out long himself, if he must give an Account to God and Men of the abominable Transactions of his Reign. Thus is the Curse of King James I. come upon King James II, which he solemn­ly pronounced upon any of his Posterity that should forsake the Church of England to imbrace that of Rome. And yet, had it been possible for him to keep within some reasonable Bounds, and his Religion to himself, without trampling (as he did) upon the Laws, he might have hitherto sat upon the Throne; and 'tis like the Nation, upon his account, would have been very Indulgent to the Roman Catholick Party. But he would never be advised to Moderation, and no Counsellors were welcome to him but such as prompted him to Violence. The Issue whereof proved accordingly; All Covet, all Lose. And 'tis observable, that, as great as King James was with King Lewis, yet the Court of France was allowed openly to declare his Errors to the World, and passed this Verdict upon him, That his whole Conduct had been very little Judicious. The Emperor on the other side could not forbear in his Letter to him dated April 9. 1689. amongst his tender condoling Expressions, to remind him of some of his false Politicks. I am heartily sorry for his Fate; but it is better so than to see three Kingdoms perish. I remember one of his Expressions at his first coming to the Crown, that he would carry the Glory of England be­yond [Page 78]all his Predecessors, which he has made good in some sense. For, by his I [...]legal and Arbitrary Methods, he has given us an Opportunity, after some Years of tiresom Passive Obedience, of sh [...]wing to the World how loth we are to part with our Laws, Religion, and Liberties, and impati­ent of that uneasy double Yoak, which other Nations groan under. There­fore, far from deserving the Censure of Mankind, we are applauded for it all the World over, by all disinterested, sensible, and rational Men. And, after two weak, esseminate, and inglorious Reigns, which had sunk the Re [...]tation and Honour of this Nation, and made us all over Europe an Object of Scorn and Contempt, we have by this way of Reprisal recovered our Credit, and are now able by the Grace of God to lift up our Heads beyond their expectation.

But, if you inquire into the Causes of this sudden Change, a Nameless Author will bring you in a parcel of Jesuits, a sort of hair-brain'd States­men, and yet bred up in a Cloyster; who being unacquainted both with the English Temper and Constitution, hoped to have carried two such things as Popery and Arbitrary Power, both at once, upon so Jealous a Nation as the English is, which hates them above any other People in the World. And yet these are the Men that bore the greatest sway in King James's Counsels. I confess, says he, a Nation of less Sense might have been Im­posed upon; of less bravery and Valour, might have been Frighted; of a more servile Temper, might have neglected its Liberties, till it had been too late to have recovered them.

These Jesuits Manage with the Dissenters of one side, and the Church of England Party on the other, shews how shallow-brain'd they were. One would think the cruel Slaughter they had caused to be made by the Course of Justice of the poor Wretches that were taken after the Defeat of Mon­mouth's Army near Bridgewater, should have made them for ever despair of gaining any Credit with the Dissenters, who rarely forgive, but never forget any ill Treatment. But on the contrary they had so little sense as to build all their hopes on them, for having procured unto them a Liberty of Conscience, Arbitrarily and Illegally granted, and consequently Revo­cable at the Will of the Granter. Thus these little Politico's rely'd upon the Dissenters Gratitude and pretended Insensibility, as if for an uncertain Liberty of Conscience they would have sold themselves to ever­lasting Slavery. On the other side, if we look upon their Carriage towards the Church of England Party, it will appear how little they were to be trusted by the whole Protestant Party. First they pursued both Clergy and Laity with the utmost obloquy, hatred, oppression and contempt. But when they sound the Dutch Storm coming upon them, who but the Church of Eng­land Men? Then the Bishops were presently sent for, and all Places, Presses, and flying Papers fill'd with the Encomiums of the Church of England's Loy­alty; who but few days before were represented as Malecontents, if not Rebels and Traytors, for Opposing the King's Dispensing Power and the Eccles [...]astical Commission.

To Compleat their Folly and Madness, they perswaded King James to Throw up the Government, and Retire into France. For they pretended we should never be able to agree amongst our selves, but would in a short time be forced to recall him, and fairly yield to his Will and Pleasure, or be compell'd to it by the Succours he might gain in France. Had [Page 79] France been now in Peace, there might have been (says my Author) some Colour for this. But, when all Europe was under a Necessity to Unite against him for its own Preservation, then to perswade King James to desert his Throne, and fly to France for Succour, this was so silly a Project, that there seems to have been something of a Divine Infatuation in it. The Prince of Orange might have taught them cuncta­ri, who would not stir from Holland, till he saw France and Germany irrevocably Ingaged in War, as it happened by the Siege of Philips­burg.

Thus, all Things considered, either King James should have staid here, and made as good Terms as he could with the Prince of Orange and his own Subjects. Or, if he would Abandon his Kingdoms, he ought to have despaired of any Restitution, and betaken himself to a private Life, as Queen Christina did.