could be ready to move; thefe under the Command of the Lord Churchill being arrived at Chard, a Party of 20 Horse, under the Command of Lieutenant Monoux, on the 19th, fell in with a Party of Monmouth's of the fame Number, killed twelve of them, and wounded many of the reft, but were forced to retire upon another Party of Monmouth's coming up. In the mean Time, Monmouth marched to Taunton, and from thence to Glaftenbury, Wells, and towards Bristol, gathering ftill as he went, notwithstanding the Dukes of Albemarle, Somerset and Beaufert, had pofted themfelves near Taunton, at Bath, and at Bristol, to obstruct the Country's coming in to him. But notwithstanding his Numbers, he was able to effect no thing; for the Militia and the King's Forces fo ftraitned him that he was forced to march back again the fame Way, not being able to advance forward into Wilshire, the Militia of which County, under the Command of the Earl of Pembroke, Lord-Lieutenant, behaved themfelves very bravely. His Lordship being informed that the Rabble, headed by the Conftable at Frome, had fet up the Duke of Monmouth's Declaration in the Market-place, drew out 160 Horfe, and mounted fome Mufqueteers behind them, with which he marched thither; where the Rabble hearing of his coming, were increased to two or three Thousand; notwithstanding which, his Lordfhip marched into the Town; the Rabble at firft feemed very refolute, and fome fired, but the main Body of them quickly threw down their Arms, and fled; upon which the Declaration was pulled down, and the Conftable committed to Prifon, the Lord Pembroke having first made him write an Abhorrence of the fame. The fame Day Colonel Oglethorp, with a Party of 100 Horfe, fell ub. on a Party of Monmouth's at Canifham-Bridge, between Bristol and Bath, and cut off two Troops of their Horfe. The next Day, being the 26th of June, all the King's Forces joined near Bath, upon which the Duke of Monmouth, with his Forces that lay then near that Place, drew off, and marched towards Philips-Norton; and were followed the next Day by the Duke of Grafton, with a Detachment of 500 Foot, Horfe, Dragoons, and Grenadiers, who hearing fome fhooting in a Lane that led to the Town, the Duke entered it with a detached Party, but quickly found it to be lined on both fides with Mufqueteers, who fo galled his Men, that feveral were killed, befides 30 wounded. He paffed however through the Lane, but in his Return was ftopt by the Enemies Horfe, through which he was fain to fight his Way to get to the main Body of his Men. From hence they marched off with the rest of the King's Forces under the Earl of Feversham, who was LieutenantGeneral, and drew up on a little Hill hard by, where the Cannon played on both Sides, but without any very confiderable Damage, Nothing of Moment happened after, till the great Action that put an end to all. The Duke of Monmouth marched and countermarched from Place to Place, till July the 2d he came to Bridgwater; the King's Forces July the 4th, marched from Somerton to Weston, within three Miles of Bridgewater. The Horfe and Dragoons were quartered at Weston, and the Foot encamped in an advantageous Poft near it, fronting towards the Moor (being a fine large Plain) with a Ditch before them. 'Twas in this Place that the 1685. the Duke of Monmouth refolved to attack them in the dead of the Night. Accordingly late in the Evening he drew his Men out of Bridgwater, and ordered his March with that Care and Silence, that he paffed without Oppofition, into the Moor, and formed his Foot into Battalia, being in Number between 5 and 6,000 Men; the Duke himself at the Head of them. With these in the Morning before Day-break, he advanced very near to the King's Camp, before they were discovered. But when Notice was given of their Approach, the Earl of Feverfham immediately ranged the King's Forces, being 2,000 Foot and 700 Horfe, in order to receive them. The Duke of Monmouth's Party began with a great Volley of Shot and Shouts, which was returned by the King's. In the mean time, the former intending to bring up their Horfe, which were commanded by the Lord Grey, to fecond their Foot, were hindered by a Party of the King's Horse, commanded by Colonel Oglethorp, who engaged them till the Earl of Oxford's Regiment and a Detachment of the Guards came up to form the Line; and fo the Duke's Horfe performed nothing, but quitted the Field in a little Time, and were never drawn up into a Body, notwithstanding they were between 1000 and 1200 Men. But the Foot on both fides itood firm, exchanging feveral Volleys of Shot, before they were able to clofe, because of the Ditch we have men. tioned. But the King's Cannon coming up, and his Horfe breaking in upon the Enemy, they were at laft entirely roated, their Cannon taken, and near 2,000 of their Men killed, befides a great Number taken Prifoners. Of the latter, the most confiderable were Colonel Holms, Perrot, his Major, the Constable of Crookborn, and the Duke's Servant, with 200 Guineas of his Mafter's. The Duke's Coat he ufually wore was found in the Field, which gave Occafion to a Report of his being killed in the Fight. Of the King's Forces a bout 300 were killed, and a great ma ny wounded. The Duke of Monmouth, and the Lord Grey made toward the Sea-fide, and coming to Gillingham, were conducted by a Guide to Hengood, but Parties being fent out in Purfuit of them, on the 7th of July the Lord Grey was taken in a Wood near Holt-Lodge, with his Guide; and the next Day the Duke of Monmouth, with a German Colonel, was alfo taken in an Incloture adjoining to the Wood, by fome of the Lord Lumley's Regiment of Horfe, and was immediately brought to London, and committed clole Pri foner in the Tower. And on the 15th of the fame Month was be headed on Tower Hill, by Virtue of an Attainder in Parliament. Thus ended the Life of this Duke, who made himself unhappy by his imprudent Ambition. He was the eldest of King Charles's Natural Sons, and dearly beloved of his Father, who had heaped upon him Honours and profitable Employ ments, and married him to the Heirefs of one of the Richeft and Nobleft Families in Scotland, with whom he lived in great Splendor and Reputation till he loft his Father's Favour, as before related. He left two young Sons, who were for fome time confined, but with honourable Attendance. And now the publick Peace being reftored, the King, by Proclamanon, appointed a publick and Solema Thanksgiving to Almighty God, to be made on the 26th Day of July, for the happy End of this Disturbance Soon after the Lord Chief Juftice Jefferies was fent down into the Weft with a Commiflion of Oyer and Terminer, to try and judge thofe that had been concern'd in the Rebellion; great Numbers of whom, being found guilty, were at feveral Times and Places executed; befides which, about 700 had their Lives given them; but were tranfported into the Plantations in America. And many others made a fhift to obtain their Pardons. The Condemnations and Executions in this truly call'd Bloody-Affize, were fo numerous, that Jefferies bragg'd He bad hang'd more Men than all the Judges of England, fince William the Conqueror. And this too after Kirk (a Man famous for his Cruelty) had already by Martial Law hang'd up great Numbers. The Parliament in the mean time, had demonftrated their hearty Loyalty to the King, by paffing an Act, to grant an Aid to his Majefty for fuppreffing the Rebellion, by Impofitions on French Linnens, Eaft India Goods, &c. which together with an Act for confolidating the Eftates Tail and Reverfion in Fee, which the King has in the Poft Of fice; and an A&t to enable his Majefly to make Leafes, &c. received the Royal Affent on the 27th of June; and, at the fame Time, an Act to revive former Acts to encourage Coining. An Act against the Importation of Gunpowder, Arms, &. An A&t for continuing former Acts, for preventing Thefts on the Northern Borders of England. Two Acts concerning providing Carriages for the King's Progrefs, &c. An Act for the Improvement of Tillage. And an A&t for finishing the Building of St. Paul's Cathedral Church. On the 2d of July the Parliament was adjourned to the 4th of Auguft; and Five more Bills were then paf fed into Laws: Among which was 1685. one to encourage the Building of Ships. And the King then intimated to the Parliament, That he did not intend they fhould then fit, but be continued by Adjournments till the Winter. On the 19th of this Month a Proclamation was iffued to fummon the Lord Delamere to appear within ten Days at the Council Board. And on the 26th another Proclamation to fummons George Speak, Efq; and others there named, to appear within twenty Days. On the 23d the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Peterborough, and Lord Rochefter, and on the 31ft the Earl of Feversham were inftalled Knights of the Garter; and the next Day the Lord Mulgrave was fworn of the Privy-Council. On the 26th the Lords Stamford, Brandon - Gerrard, and Delamere, were committed Prifoners to the Tower. On the 28th the Earl of Arlington, Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houthold, departed this Life in the 67th Year of his Age, and the Earl of Ailsbury fucceeded him in that Place. On the 4th of August the Parliament met, and were again adjourn'd to the 9th of November. On the 5th of September, Francis Lord Guilford, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, departed this Life, and on the 28th of the fame Month George Lord Jefferies, Baron of Wem, and Lord Chief Juftice, was made Lord Chancellor of England. And on the 21ft of October, Sir Edward Herbert Chief Juftice of Chefter, was made Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench; and Sir Robert Wright, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, was removed to the King's Bench, in Place of Sir Thomas Walcot, who had his Quietus. Henry 1685. A T Henry Cornish, Efq; fometime Meetings, came to fpeak with the Duke of Monmouth, that he tarried but half an Hour, and that no Paper was read while he was there. Upon the Whole he was by the Jury found guilty. And on the 23d cf October, was executed in Cheapfit, over-against King-freet. A Severity that justly gave occafion to mecá Indignation. On the 19th of October, Willin King, John Fernly, and Eliz. Gant, were also tried and condemned 2: the Old Baily, for High-Treafon, ia having concealed and fuccoured three Perfons concerned in the late Rebellion. On the 27th of October, Richard Nelthorp and John Ayloff, were brought from Newgate to the King's Bench Bar; where being asked why Sentence fhould not pafs upon them, being out-lawed for High-Treafen, in confpiring the Death of Kirg Charles; and having nothing to fay. they were both by Rule of Court, executed the 30th, the first befo Grey's-Inn, and the other before the Temple Gates. With. The King had, during the late Rebellion, made great Levies c Men to increase his Army for p preffing it; and although that w fo eafily accomplished, yet the F ces were continued and increafe and not only fo, but Roman Cath licks were made Officers, taking the Oaths and Teft, as cor manded by Act of Parliamen This was much refented by t Proteftant Nobility and Ger efpecially thofe of the Church: England, who had faithfully ar effectually ferved the King's Ire reft, against all his Enemies, pa ticularly against Monmouth. But King, it deems, was refolved: gratify thofe, however ungr it feemed to thefe, as appeared his Speech to the Parliament; according to the Adjournment, met on the 9th of November, to whom the King spoke to this Effect: ་ 'That he was much fatisfied, af⚫ter the Storm that threaten'd, to meet them in Peace and Tranquillity That the ftrange Progrefs fo fmall a Beginning had made, 'would convince them, he hoped, that the Militia was not fufficient ⚫ for fuch Occafions; and that nothing but a good Force of well difciplin'd Troops in conftant Pay, could defend us from fuch as ' either at Home or Abroad were difpofed to disturb us: That this 'made him to think it neceffary to * increase his Forces to what he had 'done, which he owed to the Honour as well as Safety of the Nation, whose Reputation was much expofed by the having lain open to the late Attempt.' He therefore asked their Affiftance for the Supply of this Charge. And then faid, Let no Man take Exception, that there are fome Officers in the Army not qualified according to the late Tefs, for their Employments: The * Gentlemen I must tell you, are most of them well known to me; and baving formerly ferved with me on feveral Occafions, and always approved the Loyalty of their Principles by their Practice, I think them fit now to be employed under me: and will deal plainly with you, That af ter having had the Benefit of their 'Services in Time of fuch Need and Danger, I will neither expose them to Difgrace, nor myself to the Want of them, if there Jhould be another 'Rebellion, to make them neceffary Then told them, He fear'ed fome wicked Men hoped, that a Difference might happen between him and them upon this 'Occafion; but if they confidered the Advantage had already acI crued by a good underflanding < to me. between them, he hoped they 1685. ' would continue fteady and loyal to him, who would give them all Returns of Kindness and Protection. This Speech occafioned pretty warm Debates in the Houfe of Commons, many of the Members expreffing their Refentment of this Breach of the Laws, in employing Popish Officers: But however they agreed to grant the King a Supply for his Army, though not fo much as he demanded; for he ask'd 12, but they voted him only 700,000 7. which they computed would maintain the Army two Years; and at the fame time voted also an Address to his Majefty, wherein, after thanking him for his Care in fuppreffing the Rebellion, they humbly reprefented, That the Officers not qualified according to the late Teft-Act, being incapable of their Employments, and subject to great Penalties, which were no ways to be taken off, but by A&t of Parliament, they were therefore preparing a Bill to indemnify them for what was paft. But because the Continuance of them in thofe Employments was difpenfing with Laws, the Confequence of which is of the greatest Concern to his Subjects, they humbly befought his Majefty to give fuch Directions therein, as that no Apprehenfions of Jealoufy may remain in the Hearts of his good and faithful Subjects. This Addrefs was presented on the 17th of November; to which the King was pleased to answer in thefe Words: I Commons, Did not expect fuch an Address having fo lately recommended to your Confideration the great Advantage a good Underflanding between us had produced in a very short time, and given дось |