1689.

66

A. C. "by this his moft Gracious and Unprefidented Offer, for the Eafe of his People; humbly affuring "his Majefty, that they would make fuch grateful "and affectionate Returns, and be fo careful of "the fupport of the Crown, that the World might "fee, to the difcouraging of his Enemies, and fa"tisfaction of all good Men, that his Majefty Reign d in the Hearts of all his People. This feeming Liberality of the Prince was also thankfully acknowledg'd by the City of London, in an Addrefs prefented to his Majefty on the 12th of

March.

Some Days before the King acquainted the Houfe of Commons with the certain News of the

Feb. 27-late King James's having fail'd from Breft with a confiderable number of French Troops, in order to Land in Ireland, whereupon the Commons Unanimoufly Voted, That they would stand by and affift the King with their Lives and Fortunes, in Supporting bis Alliances abroad, in reducing of Ireland, and in defence of the Proteftant Religion and Laws of the Kingdom. This Vote was communicated to the Peers, who confirm'd it by entering the fame into their Journal, and on the 5th Day of March concurr'd alfo with the Commons in the following Addrefs.

66

"We your Majefties muft Dutiful and Faithful Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and 86 Commons Aflembled in Parliament, being high"ly fenfible of our late great and fignal Deliverance "from Popery and Arbitrary Power, whereof it has "pleafed Almighty God to make you the Glori"ous Inftrument, and defiring to the utmost of "ourAbilities to exprefs our Gratitude to your Ma"jefty,for fo great and generous an Undertaking no "lefs neceffary to fupport the Proteftant Interest in

66

Europe, than for recovering and maintaining the "Civil Rights and Liberties of thefe Nations, fo "notoriously invaded and undermined by Popish "Councils and Councellors. and being likewife "fully convinc'd of the reftlefs Spirits and con"tinual Endeavours of your Majesty's and the Nation's Enemies for the Extirpation of the Pro

"teftant

"teftant Religion, and the Subverfion of our A. C.
"Laws and Liberties, do unanimously declare, 1683.
"That we will ftand by and aflift your Majefty
"with our Lives and Fortunes in fupporting the
Alliances abroad, in reducing of Ireland, and in
"defence of the Proteftant Religion, and Laws of
"the Kingdom.

The Lord Great Chamberlain having wait-
ed on the King to know when he would be at-
tended with this Addrefs, his Majefty answer'd,
He was going out of Town, but intended to return
the next Day, and then he would fignifie his Plea-
fure when both Houfes fhould wait on him. And
because the Sum of 400000 Pounds, which had al-
ready been granted, bore no Proportion with the
King's Necessities, his Majefty took the occafion of
this favourable Difpofition in his Parliament, to
prefs them to a more ample Supply, and in con-
cert with Mr. Powle, Speaker of the Houfe of
Commons, prepar'd an Anfwer to their Addrefs,
which he gave to both Houfes on the 8th of March,
and which is too Artful and Material to be omitted
in this Place.

"If any thing (faid his Majefty) could add to "the Efteem and Affection I have for Parliaments, "and particularly for this, they would be much "increafed by the Kindnefs you fhew to me, and

the Zeal you exprefs for the publick Good, in "the Address you have made, which in the Man66 ner, as well as the Matter, has every thing in it "that ought to recommend it to me.

"I will affure you, that I will never abuse the "Confidence you have put in me, being fully "perfwaded that there is no fure Foundation of a good Agreement between a King and his People, "but a Mutual Truft, when that is once broken, a "Government is half diffolved,

"It fhall be therefore my chief care never to "give any Parliament caufe to diftruft me, and the " beft Methods I can ufe for that purpose is never to expect any thing from them, but what fhall be "their own Intereft to grant.

A. C.

1688.

"I came hither for the good of the Kingdom, "and fince it is your defire that I am in this Stati66 on, I fhall pursue the fame Ends that brought

66

66

me.

"God has been pleas'd to make me Inftrumental "to redeem you from the Ills you fear'd, and it is "ftill my defire as well as my duty to ferve you in your Religion, Laws and Liberties, which was "the only Inducements that brought me into England, and to thefe I afcribe the Bleiings that have "attended this Undertaking.

66

"When I fpoke laft to you, I told you of the neceflity of aflifting our Allies, and more efpe"cially the States of Holland, whofe readiness to "relieve you, at fo great a hazard and expence, "from the Extremities you lay under, needs no "other Argument to move you to the Confidera"tion of it.

"As I was then a Witnefs of their Zeal and Af"fection to promote the Expedition, and to fecond my Endeavours, even with the neglect of their own Safety; fo I am now fenfible of the Inevitable Ruin they have drawn upon themselves in giving you their Aflistance, if you should not 66 return it to them.

86

"They have really exhaufted themfelves to fuch a degree,both as to Men and Money, that it is not "eafily to be imagin'd; and I am confident your "Generofity will have as little Bounds towards 66 them, as theirs had towards you; and that you "will not only enable me to make good the Treaty with them, and repay what they have actual

66

ly laid out upon this occafion (of which an Ac"count fhall be given you) but that you will far"ther fupport them to the utmost of your A"bility, against the Power of their Enemies; who "must be yours too, by their Intereft, and their "Religion, and do certainly, defign the Ruin of "Holland to be a step to your Destruction.

"I need not take pains to tell you the deplora"ble Condition of Ireland, which by the Zeal "and Violence of the Popish Party there, and by "the Affiftance and Encouragement they have

"from

"From France is brought to that pafs, that it is not A. C. "advifcable to attempt the Reduceing of it than 16. by a confiderable Force, which I think, ought

પ

66 not to be less than 20000 Horfe and Foot, which, "by the Bletting of God. will make the Work fhorter, and, in confequence, the Charge easier, tho' "the first Expence muft, of neceifity, be very 66 great.

You are to confider That towards the most “ fpeedy and effectual Succefs in relation to Ireland, as well as with a Regard to Fance, there must be "fuch a Fleet as may, in conjunction with the "States, make Us fo entirely Mafters of that Sea, "that nothing may be fent from France to Ireland, or any where elfe, that may give Difturbance to Us, or our Allies.

66

"I muft alfo recommend to you the Confideration of the Revenue to You that it may be fo "fettled, as that it may be Collected without Dif pute.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

"Thefe things will amount to a great Sum, and "muft of confequence be a prefent Weight upon "the People: But confidering neither your Religion, nor your Safety, can probably be fecured "without thefe Means, I conclude, nothing can be

too great a Price for their Prefervation. And I "will ingage my Solemn Word to You, that whate"ver You fhall give to thefe publick Ends fhall be "ftrictly applied to them: And that as You fo "freely Offer to hazard all that is dear to You, fo "I fhall as freely expofe my Self for the fupport of "the Proteftant Religion, and the Safety and Ho"nour of the Nation.

The Parliament's Address, and his Majesty's Anfwer having been made publick, all the Well affe&ted highly applauded both, and the City of Lon- . don expreft their Satisfaction after a particular manner, by an Addrefs of Thanks to the Houfe of March 12. Lords which was extream pleasing to the Court.

*

Befides the Divifions in the Parliament, the Dif affection of part of the English Army gave the new King no small Difturbance. The Royal Scorch Regi

Сс

ment

Defection

inthe Army.

A. C.

ment of Horfe that was Quarter dat Abington, almost 1683. totally Deferted, marching towards Scotland; as did alfo above five hundred Soldiers of Dumbarton's Regiment, headed by five Captains. fteering the fame courfe, with four Field pieces. The News of this Defection being brought to Hampton-Court. his Majefty order'd Mr. Herbert to communicate it to the Parliament; whereupon both Houfes agreed to i. March15. an Addrefs, Humbly to befeech his Majefty to take effectual Care for the Speedy Suppreffion of the Rebellion, and to iffue forth his Proclamation, declaring thofe Offi cers and Soldiers, and their Adherents, to be Rebels and Traitors, and requiring all his Subjects to apprehend and profecute them as fuch. According to the Parliament's defire the King iffued out his Royal Proclamation, and fent a fufficient Force of Horfe and Dragoons, under Ginkle, to fupprefs the Rebels, whom that Ge neral quickly brought to fubmit: And tho' nothing but an ignominious Death could attone for their Crime, yet no other Punishment was inflicted on them, but being fent into Holland. However to obviate the like Inconveniencies for the future, an A& was made and pafs'd, for Punifhing Officers and Soldiers, who fhould Mutiny, or Desert their Majefties fervice.

April 3.

The fecond, fourth and fifth Days of March were partly spent, by both Houfes, in taking the Oaths of Fealty, appointed by the late Act, for Removing and Preventing all Queftions and Difputes concerning the Affembling and Sitting of this prefent Parliament, and in Subfcribing the Declaration, purfuant to an Act of the 30th of King Charles II. In the Houfe of Commons few or none refus'd to take the faid Oaths, but in the Upper House not above Ninety Temporal, and only Eight Spiritual Lords, comply'd with the Act. Thofe eight Prelates were the Archbishop of York, and the Bishops of London, Lincoln, Bristol, Winchester, Rochefter, Landaff, and St. Afaph, whofe March 27. Example was afterwards follow'd by the Bishops of Carlisle and St. Davids; as for the Archbishop of Canterbury, with the reft of the Difcontented Clergy, they were refolv'd to preferve inviolable the Allegiance they had Sworn to King James. The D.

of