1688. published for chufing a Parliament the Chapels they had erected at York, to meet at Westminster, January Briftol, Gloucester, Woolverhampton, the 15th, which he declared fhould Bermingham, Cambridge, and St. Ed. be free in all its Circumftances. To mundsbury. which Purpose Indemnity was granted to all that fhould be chofen Members, though they had been in Arms against him. But alas! it was now too late, the Nation was in fuch Ferment, that it was not much regarded. However, the Chief Officers of the Fleet, as foon as they heard the News, drew up an Addrefs of Thanks to the King, which was fubfcribed by the Lords Dartmouth and Berkley, Sir Roger Strickland, and 38 Commoners. Soon after the Prince of Wales with his Nurfe was fent to Portf mouth, in order to his being tranfported to France; but either upon my Lord Dartmouth's refufing to do it, or upon fome other Reason, he was brought back again to London, on the 8th of December. In Norfolk, the Duke of Norfolk, and a great many of the Gentry of the Country, declared for a free Parliament and the Proteftant Religion. The Earl of Shrewsbury, and Sir John Guife feized Bristol, and the Lord Lovelace was delivered by the Gentry of the Country out of Gloucefter Caftle. The Lords Molineux and Afton, being Roman Catholicks, feized Chefter for the King. And Berwick tood firm to him; but Newcastle received the Lord Lumley, and declared for a free Parliament. York was in the Hands of the Earl of Danby, and the other affociated Lords and Hull feized their Governor the Lord Langdale, difarmed the Papifts, and declared for a free Parliament: And Plymouth had long before fubmitted to the Prince of Orange. The Common People took this Opportunity of revenging themfelves on the Papifts, by deftroying On the 8th of December the King's Army at Reading, upon a false Alarm, retired in great hatte to Tuy ford-Bridge; but endeavouring to regain the Poft the next Day, a Party of the Prince's who had been fent for by the Town, fet upon the Irish Dragoons, and killed 50 of them, they making little Defence, upon a Belief that all the Army was at hand. About this Time a Paper was pub lifhed called the Third Declaration, in the Prince of Orange's Name, which was filled with Commands to all Magiftrates to difarm and feize Papifts, with terrifying Threats to thofe that neglected it. On the 19th, the Queen left Whitehall, and went down to Gravefend, where he embarked on a Yatch for France, with Count Deda the Pope's Nuncio and others. A little before this the Marquis of Hallifax, the Earl of Nottingham, and the Lord Godolphin, had been fent by the King and Council to treat with the Prince of Orange, and adjuft Preliminaries in order the holding of a Parliament; who on the 8th of December fent a Let ter to his Highness, dated from Hungerford; the Subitance of which was. That his Majesty obferving that all Differences and Complaints alledged by bis Highness, feemed to be refered is a free Parliament, refolved to call one, and bad iffued out Writs and a Preciamation to that Purpose, bis People perfifting in the Defire of it; though it had thought it more advijeable to defer it till Things were more compared. And to prevent Interruption is it, të ready to agree to all reasonable Prope fitions, for the Security of thofe tel To which the Prince, with the Advice of the Lords and Gentlemen affembled with him, replied in the following Propofals: I. That all Papists, and Perfons unqualified by Law, be difarmed, disbanded, and removed from all Employments civil and military. II. That all Proclamations be recalled, that reflect on any of the Prince's Adherents, and all fet at Liberty that have been committed on that Account. III. That the Tower of London be put into the Hands of the City. IV. That the Prince and King, with equal Guards, be in London, or at an equal Distance from it, during the Seffions of Parliament: That the Armies be forty Miles from London, and no more Forces brought into the Kingdom. V. That Tilbury Fort be put into the Hands of the City. VI. That a fufficient Maintenance for his Forces be affigned to the Prince, out of the publick Revenue till the Sitting of the Parliament. And, VII. That Portsmouth be put into fuch Hands as fhall be agreed be tween the King and Prince, to pre vent French or foreign Troops from Landing. Dated at Littlecot, Dec. 9, 1688. This Anfwer was by Exprefs fent to his Majefty on the 10th of Dec. but was far from producing the defired Effect; for the King immediately ftopt the Writs for the Parliament, and ordered a Caveat to be entred against the executing those that were fent down, and immediately refolved to leaye the Kingdom. He fent a Letter to the Earl of Feverfbam to inform him of his Defign, and to thank him, and the o ther Officers that ftuck to him, for their Services, telling them he did not expect they would further expofe themfelves. Upon the Receipt of which, the Earl of Fever fam disbanded all the Army he had then under his Command, and immediately fent a Letter to the Prince of Orange to inform him of the King's Order and Departure. The 11th of December, about Three in the Morning the King went down to Gravefend in a fmall Boat in order to leave the Kingdom, but without leaving any Power or Inftruction behind him. Whereupon the principal of the Army met, and fent an Exprefs to the Prince of Orange, to inform him of the King's Departure, and to affure him they would affift the Lord Mayor in keeping the City in Order. Alfo the Lords Spiritual and Temporal that were in and about London, came to Guildhall, where, together with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, they made a Declaration to this Effect, viz. That the King being by pernicious Counfels withdrawn, and, as they apprehended, in order to leave the Nation, their Zeal to the publick Good obliged them unanimoufly to apply themfelves to the Prince of Orange, who 1688. 1688. with fuch Hazard and Expence had delivered them from Popery and Slavery. They did thereby declare their Refolution to affift his Highness in the procuring a free Parliament with all fpeed, wherein the Laws, Liberties and Properties, might be fecured, and alfo the Church of England, with a due Liberty to Proteftant Diffenters, and the Proteftant Religion and Intereft over the whole World, fupported and encouraged. That in the mean time they would endeavour to fecure the City and Parts adjacent, by difarming Papifts, and fecuring Popish Priests, &c. and all Things elfe that may promote his Highness's generous Intention for the publick Good. Signed This Declaration was ordered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal to be carried to his Highness by the Earl of Pembroke, the Vifcount Weymouth, the Bishop of Ely, and the Lord Culpeper, and to give him an Account what they had done at that Meeting. After this, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council followed the Peers Example, and fent an Address to the Prince by four Aldermen, and eight Commoners, inviting his Highness to London. Allo the Lieutenancy did the fame, which . was carried to the Prince by Sir Ro bert Clayton, Sir William Ruffel, Sit Bazil Firebrafs, and Charles Dar comb, Efq; The Lords at the fame time fent for the Keys of the Tower, which they delivered to the Lord Lucas, appointing him Lieutenant till fur ther Order. The King in his Departure had put himself aboard a fmall Yacht, commanded by one Captain Saurders, which was forced for Want of Ballaft to put into the East Swak in the Ifle of Sheppy, where the Inhabitants being abroad fearching for Jefuits, &c. ftopt it the 12th of December, not knowing the Perfons on Board. There were with the King Sir Edward Hales, and one Mr. De la Badie; who were all, the King himself not excepted, at firit very rudely treated, and brought up to Feversham as fufpected Perfon: where the King being arrived, and by that time known, the People's Carriage was quite altered, and those who at first had rudely taken from him his Watch, Money, &c. came with all Submiffion to reftore them, and beg Pardon He lodged at the Mayor's House, and fent for the Earl of Winchelsea, Lord Lieu tenant of the County, to come to him. And immediately the Militia were drawn into the Town, to guard his Majefty's Person from any Infults. In the mean time, in London all was in Confufion, the fame Evening the King departed, the Rabble g together in great Multitudes, a pulled down the Popish Chapels which they had begun while the King was here, but had been the fuppreffed by his Guards, three of them having been kied But now that there was no Auth ty, and no body in Power to pa them, they took their full Rever, beginning with the Convent of the Benedictines in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, Feversham, upon which fome of his Servants were fent down to wait up- On the 14th the Lords published The fame Day the Lord Chancellor Jefferies was feized in a Difguife at Wapping, and brought before the Lord-Mayor, who committed him to the Tower for the present, to fecure him from the Rabble, that were very infolent to him; which Commitment the Lords afterwards confirmed. The Lord Feverfbam, as you have heard, had disbanded the Army upon the King's Letter, but without taking from them their Arms, and there being among 'em 5 or 6000 Irish, gave occafion to a ftrange Alarm that happened about Midnight of the 12th and 13th of December, viz. That the Irish, in a desperate Rage, were approaching the City, putting all to the Sword, and burnng and deftroying in a moft dreadul manner; which neceffarily put ing every Body in a Fright, caufed A great deal of Confufion for fome Hours, till upon a little Enquiry it ppeared wholly falfe. And which s wonderful, this Alarm happened lot in London only, but all over the Kingdom alfo, and much about the ame Time every where. On the 13th the News was brought The Lords fent the Lords Fever fham, Ailfbury, Yarmouth, and Middleton to the King, humbly to entreat his Majefty to return to Whiteball; and alfo fent down the Guards to protect his Perfon, and with them the Servants of his Houfhold to carry him Neceffaries. On the 15th the King removed to Rochefter, in order to his Return, where the Guards met him, and the next Day, being Sunday, came to London, where he arrived about five in the Evening, and was welcomed by the Acclamations of the People quite through the City. The Prince of Orange, upon the Invitations he received from London, was come as far as Windfor, whence he fent Monfieur Zuilefteine to the King, to defire him to tarry at Rochefter, but he miffed his Way. As foon as the King came to Whiteball, he fent the Lord Feverfham to invite the Prince to St. James's with what Number of Troops he thought fit. But the Lord with the Prince, thought it advifeable, That the King fhould be defired to retire to fome Place near London, Ham-house being thought moft convenient; and accordingly the Prince fent a Letter to the Lord Marquifs of Hallifax, the Earl of Shrewsbury, and the Lord De la Mere, defiring them to let the King know, that for the Quiet of the City, and Safety of his Perfon, it was conve 1688. 1688. nient that his Majefty remove to the Prince, who readily agreed to Ham, where he fhould be attended with his Guards, &c. As foon as the King arrived at Whitehall, he ordered Leiburn, the Popish Bishop, to be difcharged out of Newgate, whither he had been committed in the King's Abfence. And the next Day published an Order against the pulling down Houfes, & commanding all MagiAtrates to fupprefs thofe Disorders. The Popish Priests and Party, prefuming upon the King's Protection, began now again to refume their wonted Temper, encouraged by the favourable Accefs they had at Whitehall, whither they reforted in great Numbers. The Lords, with the Prince, in the mean Time, thought it not fafe for his Highness to venture his Perfon to Londen, till his Guards had fecured the Way. Wherefore the Lords at Windfor refolved to fend the Prince's Guards to take Poffeffion of the Pofts about Whitehall. The Lords, whom the Prince fent with the Meffage to the King, concerning his Removal, arrived not at Whitehall till twelve at Night, when they fent Word to the Lord Middleton, that they had a Meffage to deliver to the King of that Importance, that they defired they might be immediately admitted; he ac cordingly prefently introduced them, the King being by that Time in Bed; where, after an Apology for the unfeafonable Time, they delivered their Meffage, which the King faid he would comply with; upon which the Lords defired his Majefty would remove before Noon, to prevent meeting the Prince, who intended to come to London that Day; to which the King alfo agreed. But afterwards defired he might rather return to Rochester, to which the Lords answered they would acquaint the Prince; and accordingly fent to it; and thereupon his Majefty left Whitehall before Noon, and went that Night in his Barge to Gravef end, attended by the Earl of Arran, and fome others. The fame Day, being the 18th of December, the Prince of Orange came to St. James's, where he arrived at Three in the Afternoon, attended by Monfieur Schomberg, and divers of the Nobility, and welcomed by the joyful Acclamations of the People, with ringing of Bells, Bonfires, &c. The King continued at Rockefer till the 23d of December, when in the Night he privately went out, with one Mr. Ralph Sheldon and Mr. De la Badie in his Company, and embarked in a Veffel for Frances but before his Departure, left a P2per which was afterwards printed, containing the Reasons of his withdrawing. The Queen, who went hence the 10th, arrived at Calat the 11th, and wrote to the King of France to inform him of her Arrival and crave his Protection. Upon the Prince's Arrival, the Common Council of London, affembled, and ordered, That the Aldermen and their Deputies fhould wait upon his Highness to congratulate his Arrival, which they according y did the next Day; the Recorder. Sir George Treby, made a Speech to excufe the Lord-Mayor, who wa at that Time fick, and to teftify. his Highness their Gratitude for the happy Deliverance he had wroug for them. The first Thing the Prince of O range did, was to take Care of the English Army, and published Order, commanding all Perfor who had in their Custody the Arms of the Soldiers, who had kij or embezzled them, either to relat them to the Officers of the respect tive Regiments, or deliver them to the |