1691. The For A. C. retreated towards Pignerol; where he had till the Mortification to hear, that the Vaudois, aflifted by the French Refugees, had routed 3000 Men, which he had detach'd to lay wafte their Valleys. However, this did not hinder the Council of France from refolving upon the Reduction of the Castle of Montmelian, whether Monfieur Catinat was ordered to repair with part of his Army. This General arriv'd before the Place on the 16th of November (N. S.) and after a moft vigorous Siege, wherein they had to conflict as well with the Rigours of the Seafon, as with the defperate Defence of the Garrifon, that Fortress was at laft furrendred to the French upon honourable Conditions; by which means they became entire Mafters of all the Dutchy of Savoy: The King of France all this while caref fing the Princes and States of Italy, by Monfieur Rebenac his Ambaffador, left growing jealous of his Succeffes, they fhould clofe in with the Confederates, and thereby encreafe the Number of his Enemies, who, in thefe Parts, began to be too many for him. lian furrendred, Decem. 12. M. S. The Cam The Campaign upon the Rhine was very inconfiderable this Year, tho' on that fide too the French were rather Winners than Lofers. Their first Design was to furprize the City of Mentz, by a treacherous Correfpondence they held in the Place with one of the Emperor's Commiflioners, Consburg, a Weftphalian; which being prevented by a timely Dif covery of the Treafon, they turn'd their Arms a gainst Algesheim, a Town Five or Six Leagues from that City, which they carry'd after fome Refiftance, and then retir'd towards Creutfnach. On the other hand, the Imperial Army commanded by the Elector of Saxony, with Generals Caprara, and Schoning under him, croft the Rhine not far from Manheim, where the French had entrench'd themfelves, in order to prevent it; But tho' great matters were expected from the Germans, yet they rather loft than gain'd by paffing that River; for the French to divert them, croft the Rhine alfo at Philipsburg, which, after a hot Confultation in a Council of War, oblig'd the Germans to follow them tho tho' not with that Diligence and Succefs, but that A. C. the others took the Town of Portzheim, Situate in 1691. the Marquifate of Baden Dourlach, on a neck of Land that gives entrance into the Country of Wirtemberg, which the French had all along a Defign to put under Contribution, and had never fo fair a Profpect of effecting it as at this time. With the taking of this Place, and another of lefs Confideration, befides the ravaging of that part of Juliers that belongs to the Elector Palatine, the French ended their Campaign that way. As for the Germans, the Execution of their Defigns was partly prevented by the Death of the Elector of Saxony, The Elector which happen'd on the 22d of September, in the 44thof Saxony Year of his Age. dies. We have according to our Method, taken a Profpect of fuch Foreign Affairs as immediately relate to the Confederacy; let us now attend the Support of it, King William. Notwithstanding the many Difappointments the Jacobites had already met in their Sinifter Designs, they began the Year 1691. with fresh Attempts to fubvert the prefent Government: To accomplish this, they maintained a constant Correfpondence with the Court of France; who to return the large Offers they made, fed them with as liberal Promises of Assistance with Men, Arms, and Money; which rais'd their Hopes and Expectations, That England fhould be Speedily invaded and conquer'd; if a Project that was then on Foot did not accomplish the work by a greater dispatch, and reftore King James without the iofs of much Blood. With thefe dark fayings, fome of the Jacobites entertain'd the reft, and did not fcruple to boatt, that murder the defigns to a Great Thing was then on Foot, that would confound the Williamites. What fhould be meant by this great Thing, appear'd afterwards to be the King's Murther. His Majefty's Enemies being unwilling to wait any longer the uncertain Fate of War, thought this Project the beft expedient for their Purpose, and this time most agreeable; for the King being now in Flanders, to dispatch him there would admit of more Excufes than in another Place. This Hellish Enterprize, with the promise of great † Re. Unfuccesful King. A. C. t Rewards, being communicated to Bartholomew 1691. Liniere, Sieur de Granvale, a Captain of Dragoons in w the French Service, he, and Du Mont, who had been Gran- formerly retain'd for the fame Purpose, undertook vale was to to put it in Execution, while the King was at Loo; be made but mifling their Opportunity, they followed His Duke and Majefty to his Camp in Flanders. From hence to have an Granvale return'd to the French Army, and Du Mont, Eftate pre- according to the Orders given him, enter'd him portionable; felf into the Confederate Army, that he might take and Du his opportunity, when His Majefty went to vifit the Grand-Guard or the Lines, to fhoot him beof St. La- hind his Back, and then make the beft of his way zarus, and to a Body of Horfe that Granvale, and Colonel 20000 Li- Parker (the chief contriver of this bloody Defign) vres a Year fhould have in readiness, upon a previous intima Mont-to be a Knt. tion, to rescue and carry him off. But Providence took care of the Prefervation of Europe, that fo vifibly depended upon His Majefty's fingle Life: And whether Du Mont's Heart fail'd him, or whatever else was the Caufe, after fome Weeks Attendance, he went to the Court of Hanover, and for this Year gave over the accurft Project of Affaifinating His Majefty; who fafely return'd to Loo. His Majefty having spent near two Months in Hunting, came to the Hague to Settle the State of the War for the enfuing Year, and then to return to England. The contrary Winds that detain'd His Majefty there, made him large amends by the wafting over Mr. Henry Furnace, with the agreeable News of the Surrender of Limerick, for which His Majefty beftow'd the Honour of Knighthood upon that welcome Meffenger. On King Wil. the 20th of October (N. S.) the King embarked in the Macfe, and the next Day fafely landed at Marrives at gate, from whence he immediately went to KenKenfing Jington. The Parliament, which was firft Adjourn'd to the 31st of March, and from thence continu'd by The Parli feveral Adjournments and Prorogations to the 22d of October, being then met, His Majefty made a Speech to both Houfes wherein he told them, That he had appointed this Meeting liam ar ton, O&. 19. ament meets.&. "affoon 1. "affoon as ever the Affairs abroad would admit of A. C. "his Return into England, that they might have 1691. "the more time to confider of the beft and most "effectual Ways and Means for the carrying on The King's "the War against France. That he was willing Speech to cc to hope, that the good Succefs, with which it both Houses. "had pleas'd God to blefs his Arms in Ireland that 66 86 66 66 66 Summer, would not only be a great Encourage ment to them to proceed the more chearfully in 66 this Work, but would be look'd upon by them "as an Earneft of future Succefs, which their timely Afftance to him, might, by God's bleffing, procure to them all. And as he did not doubt, "but they would take care to pay the Arrears of "that Army, which had been fo deferving and fo profperous in the Reducement of Ireland to a peaceable Condition; fo he did affure them, there "Thould no Care be wanting on his Part, to keep "that Kingdom, as far as it was poffible, from being burdenfom to England for the Future. He "moreover acquainted them with the Neceflity "both of having a strong Fleet early at Sea next "Year; and of maintaining a confiderable Army "ready upon all Occafions, not only to defend "themfelves from any Infult, but alfo to annoy the "common Enemy, where it might be moft fenfi"ble to them; which he did not fee could be done "with lefs than Sixty Five Thoufand Men. Ad"ding, That by the vigour and dispatch of their "Counfels and Afliftance to him in this Seflion of "Parliament, they had now an opportunity in "their Hands, which, if they neglected, they could "never reafonably hope to fee again, not only to "establish the future Quiet and Profperity in thefe "Kingdoms, but the Peace and Security of all. 66 Europe. 66 Both Houfes Congratuled His Majefty upon his fafe and happy Return, "After fo many Hazards to which his Majefty had expos'd his Perfon; "and upon the Succefs of His Majefty's Arms in Reducing of Ireland; and at the fame time "affured His Majefty, that they would affift him to the utmost of their Power, in carrying on a 66 vigorous 66 66 66 66 A. C. "vigorous War against France, in order to pro 1691. cure an honourable and lafting Peace to his own Dominions, and to fecure his Neighbours "from the Injuries and Invafions of the common Oppreflor; hoping, with his Majesty, that the "Victories of this laft Summer, were happy Pre"fages of the Profperity of his future Enterprizes. Addreffes were allo prefented to the Queen, to acknowledge her Prudent Care in the Adminiftration of the Government, during his Majefties abfence. Thefe Compliments being over, the Commons receiv'd and read a Bill for Abrogating the former O&. 28.Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, in Ireland, and Bill to ap- instead thereof to establish the Oaths of Fidelity and point the Allegiance, taken here, to their Majefties. At the feOaths in cond Reading of this Bill, the Stature of the Second Ireland. of Elizabeth made in Ireland, appointing the for mer Oaths to be taken, was alfo read, after which the Bill was committed, and upon the third Reading paft. The fame being fent up to the Lords for their Concurrence, their Lordships made fome Amendments to it, which occafion'd two Conferences between both Houfes, the Refult of the laft of which was, that the Lords gave their † Concurrence without infifting on their Altera+ Decem. tions. 10. The Motion for a Supply, which was made on Bufinefs of the 30th of October, was not confider'd till the 6th the Supply of November, when it was unanimously refolv'd, That a Supply be Granted to their Majefties for the carrying on a vigorous War against France, and at the fame time it was order'd, That his Majefty be defir'd, to cause the State of the War, for the next Years Service, in Relation to both the Fleet and Land Forces, to be laid before the Houfe. The Eftimate of the Charge of their Majefties Navy for the Year 1692,* deliver'd by the Commiffionrs Nov. 9 of the Admiralty, having been examin'd, the Com15758981. mons Voted the Sum of Fifteen Hundred Seventy granted for Five Thoufand Eight Hundred and Ninety eight Pounds, upon that Score, including the Ordinance the Navy. and |