1688. Admiral Herbert, and therefore 'twas prefum'd he would have attack'd him; but 'tis more probable to imagine,that upon this Occafion that Lord facrific'd a private Refentment to the Love of his Country. Whatever it was, by a particular Providence the Prince of Orange found but Three little Veffels of all his prodigious Fleet milling; Two of which that carried Horfes were taken by an English Frigat; and the third, on Board whereof were Four Companies of an English Regiment, commanded by Colonel Babington, and amongit the reft, the Company of Captain Langham, who was ftill in Cuftody for bringing over the Prince's Declaration.

The Prince's entering the Channel unattack'd, and his landing in the West, put the Court into great Alarms. The Duke of Berwick was fent down to Portsmouth with most of the Troops that were in and about London, to fecure that important Place, and to deter People from joining his Highnefs; All the reft of the Forces, juft before encreas'd by the coming over of 4000 Irish, were order'd to march with all speed towards him, and to affemble on Salisbury-Plain, where the King defign'd to command in Perfon, and where he reckon'd to have had an Army of 30000 Men, but afterwards it was thought fit to leave 7 or 8000 behind in London, under the Command of the Lord Craven, to guard the Queen and Prince of Wales, and principally to fupprefs the Eruptions of the Mob. At the fame time all Endeavours were us'd to render the Prince and his Army contemptible in the Sight of the People, by printing a Lift of them, and giving out, That but Nine of the Nobility, and Gentry only, and a few Rabble, appear'd for him. Nay, the King being inform'd that the City of London, and the Counties of York and Kent,defign'd to address him to encline him to an Accommodation with the Prince of Orange, His Majefty declar'd in Council, That he would look upon all thofe as his Enemies who fhould pretend to advise him to treat with the hvader of his Kingdoms; and thereupon he

caus'd

caus'd a Proclamation to be iffued out againft His 1688. Highness, which contain'd, That it was but too evident by a late Declaration, publish'd by the Prince Proclamaof Orange, that notwithstanding the many specious tion against and planfible Pretences it carries, his Defigns in the the Prince Bottom did tend to nothing less than an abfolute of Orange, =Vfurping of His Majefties Crown and Royal Authori

Nov. 6.

ty, as might fully appear by his assuming to himfelf in the faid Declaration the Regal Stile, requiring the Peers of the Realm, both Spiritual and Temporal, and all other Perfons of all Degrees, to obey and affift him in the Execution of his Defigns, a Prerogative infeparable from the Imperial Crown of this Realm. Adding, That for a more undeniable Proof of his immoderate Ambition, and which nothing could fatisfie but the immediate Poffeffion of the Crown it felf, he call'd in question the Legitimacy of the Prince of Wales, His Majefties Son and Heir apparent, tho' by the Providence of God there were prefent at his Birth fo many Witneffes of unquestion able Credit, as if it feem'd the particular Care of Heaven, on purpose to disappoint fo wicked and unparallell'd an Attempt. That in order to the effecting of his Ambitious Defigns, he feem'd defirous to fubmit all to the Determination of a free Parliament, hoping thereby to ingratiate himself with the People, tho' nothing was more evident than that a Parliament could not be free fo long as there was an Army of Foreigners in the Heart of His Majefties Kingdoms, fo that in truth he was the fole Obstructer of Such a free Parliament: His Majefty being fully refolv'd, as be bad already declar'd, fo foon as by the Bleffing of God His Kingdoms should be deliver'd from this Invafion, to call a Parliament, which could no longer be liable to the leaft Objection of not being freely chofen, fince His Majesty bad acinally refior'd all the Bo roughs and Corporations to their ancient Rights and Priviledges. Upon which Confiderations, and the O bligations of their Duty and natural Obedience, His Majefty could no ways doubt, but that all his faithful and loving Subjects would readily and heartily concur and join with him in the entire fuppreffing and re pelling

1688. pelling of his Enemies and Rebellious Subjects. The greatest part of the Nation were already fo prepoffefs'd of the good Intentions of the Prince, that this harth Proclamation ferv'd only to exafperate their Minds against King James; but His Majefty and his Counfellors were now giddy with Refentment, and incapable of following those wife Methods which are only fuggefted by cool and fo ber Thoughts.

The Prince of Orange having tarried Two or Three Nights at Sir William Courtney's, and finding the Clayie Ground thereabouts unfit for a Camp, rode with his Army to Exeter, where most People impatiently waited his coming, and whither Dr. Burnet was fent before to prepare Quarters for his Highness. The Bishop's Palace and Deanery being both view'd, the latter was thought to be the The Prince more convenient, and fo concluded upon, of Orange Friday the 9th of November His Highness enter'd comes to the City of Exeter in a glorious and triumphant Exeter,

Nov.

9.

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Manner, the Warlike Harmony of his Trumpets and Kettle-Drums being drown'd by the louder Peals of ringing of Bells, Shoutings and Huzza's of joyful Multitudes. The firft thing His Highness did, was to go and pay his grateful Acknowledgment to Almighty God, and to caufe Te Deum to be fung in the Cathedral Church for his fafe Arrival. After the Collects were ended, Dr. Burnet began to read His Highness's Declaration, at which the Minifters of the Church there prefent were fo furpriz'd, that they immediately left their Seats, and went out; however, the Doctor continued reading, and the Declaration being ended, he faid, God fave the Prince of Orange, to which the major part of the Congregation answer'd, Amen. As for the Bishop of this Place, (Dr. Lamplugh) he no fooner heard that the Prince of Orange was landed at Torbay, but he took Coach, The Bishop and went up to London to inform theKing of it, for of Exeter made Arch- which feasonable Demonftration of Loyalty he was bishop of immediately named to the vacant Archbishoprick of Tork. The main Body of the Prince's Army be

York.

ing advanc'd near Exeter, it was difpos'd of, the 1688.' Horfe about Tiverton, Culhampton, Honyton, and Places adjacent, and part of the Foot encamp'd on Clift-Heath; and now His Highnefs's Care is both to refreth, and to reinforce his Army; the Drums beat for Volunteers, and not only every Regiment of English and Scotch that came with the Prince, and which wanted Men, are compleated; but the new Regiments of Sir John Guyes, and Sir Robert Peyton fill up apace; Horses for remounting the Cavalry, and for the Train of Artillery are bought up; and, in short, every thing is provided to march towards Salisbury.

However, His Highness, who was made to believe that upon his firft Landing all the Gentlemen of the Weft would join him, finding that in Nine Days fcarce any Perfon of Note had come in to him; That the Mayor and Aldermen of the City came to vifit him, rather out of Fear than Affection, being bufied in dubious Consultations among themselves; And that he wanted Money to pay his Men, began to doubt the Succefs of his Expedition; and in a Council of War held at Exeter it was propos'd to re-imbark for Holland, But by this time the Gentlemen of Somersetshire and Dorfetfhire advanc'd in great Numbers, and waited on his Highnefs, upon which Occafion he spoke to them after the following manner:

fet and

Tho we know not all your Perfons, yet we have a The Prince Catalogue of your Names, and remember the Chara- of Orange's Eters of your Worth and Intereft in your Country, Speech to You fee we are come according to your Invitation and the Somer our Promife. Our Duty to God obliges us to protect the DorfetProteftant Religion, and our Love to Mankind your thire GenLiberties and Properties. We expected you that tlemen, dwelt fo near the Place of our Landing would have Nov. 15. join'd us fooner; not that it is now. too late, nor that we want your Military Affistance fo much as your Countenance and Prefence, to justifie our declar'd Pretenfions, in order to accomplish our good and gracious Defign. The we have brought both a good Fleet,

and

1688. and a good Army, to render thefe Kingdoms happy, by refcuing all Proteftants from Popery, Slavery, and Arbitrary Power, by restoring them to their Rights and Properties establish'd by Law, and by promoting of Peace and Trade, which is the Soul of Government, and the very Life-Blood of a Nation; yet we relye more on the Goodness of God, and the Fu ftice of our Caufe, than on any humane Force or Poner whatever. Tet fince God is pleas'd we shall make ufe of humane Means, and not expect Miracles for our Prefervation and Happiness, let us not neglect making use of this gracious Opportunity, but with Pru dence and Courage put in Execution our fo honourable Purposes. Therefore, Gentlemen, Friends, and Fellow-Proteftants, we bid you and all your Followers most heartily welcome to our Court and Camp. Let the whole World now judge if our Pretenfions are not Juft, Generous, Sincere, and above Price, fince we might have even a Bridge of Gold to return back; But it is our Principle and Refolution, rather to die in a good Caufe, than live in a bad one, well knowing that Virtue and true Honour is its own Reward, and the Happiness of Mankind our great and only Defign.

The Gentlemen of the Counties of DorfitShire and Somerfetfhire having broke the Ice, they were foon follow'd by feveral other Pertons of greater Note. The Lord Colchester, (a Proteftant, Son to the Eail of Rivers, a Roman Catholick) Lieutenant of the Lord Dover's Troop of LifeGuards waited upon His Highnefs, accompanied by Mr. (now the Lord) Wharton, Colonel Godfrey, James Howe, Efq; Four Life-Guards of his Troop, and about Threefcore Men more Horfeback. The Lord Cornbury, Colonel of Dragoons, being come to Salisbury, and pretending an Order from His Majefty to go and beat up one of the Enemies advanc'd Pofts, carried off with him his own Regiment, and thofe of Horfe of Berwick, St. Albans, and Fenwick, and, with the major Part of them, went over to

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the