themselves into this Kingdom of England, should not A, C, only have His Royal Protection, but he would fo aid and 1689. affift them in their fevera! Trades and ways of Livelihood, as that their being in thisRealm might be comfortable and eafic to them. Some People, altogether void of Charity, repin'd at this Invitation given to Foreigners to fettle here; but the Generality highly applauded his Majefty for it, not only out of a Christian Tendernefs for their Perfecuted Brethren, but also out of their Love for the Welfare of England; wifely confidering, that the kind Entertainment Queen Elizabeth gave to the Walloons, whom the Inquifition drove out of the Low Countries, had vaftly improv'd the Woollen and Silken Manufactures of this Nation; and that the Dutch daily encreas'd in Riches and Strength, by the Favour they fhew'd to the French Refugees, amongit whom were many wealthy Merchants, and the reft of whom confifted either of Laborious and Induftrious Artificers, or Brave and Experienc'd Officers and Soldiers, who would chearfully venture their Lives in the Defence of the Proteftant Religion, and of thofe States that afforded them Protection. At the fame time that his Majefty enconrag'd the Proteftants of France, He iffued out another Proclamation, Prohibiting the Importation of all forts of Manufa&tures and Commodities whatfoever of the Growth, Production or Manufacture of that Kingdom, and which was a Fore-runner of the War.

Constituted

Not many Days after, his Majefty to fhew the particular regard He had to the Eftablifh'd Laws, Judges Conftituted thofe Perfons to be the Guardians of May 4, the fame, which in the most difficult times had boldly ftood up in their Defence,and whofe Learning and Integrity juftified his Majefty's Choice. Sir John Holt was made Lord Chief Justice, and Sir William Dolbin, Sir William Gregory, and Giles Eyres Efq; Juftices of the King's Bench; Sir Henry Pollexfen Lord Chief Juftice, and Sir John Powel, Thomas Rokeby and Peyton Ventris Efquires, Juftices of the Common Pleas; Sir Robert Atkins, Lord Chief Baron, and Sir Edward Nevil, Nicholas Lechmere and John Turton Efquires, Barons of the Exchequer; and John

Trenchard

A. C. Trenchard Efq; Chief Juftice of Chefter; Sir George 1689. Treby Attorney, and John Sommers Efq; Sollicitor General to his Majefty. Whilft the Places of Judicature were thus filling up, to the general Satisfaction of the Nation, Three Roman Catholicks of Diftinction were committed Prifoners to the Tower, to wit, the Earl of Montgomery, Son to the Marquifs of Powis, the Earl of Castlemain, and the Lord Clifford; and becaufe the Earl of Arran's Petition, for his Enlargment, was found defective, he was Confined a Month longer.

War de

clar'd a

gainst France,

May 7.

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The King being affured of the Affiftance of the Commons, acquainted the Lords with his Intention fpeedily to declare War against France; whereupon their Lordships unanimoufly refolv'd to aflift and ferve his Majefty therein to their Power. The fame Day his Majefty's Declaration of War against France was folemnly Proclaim'd, being masterly drawn up by that Eminent Civilian Mr. (now Lord) Sommers, and which contain'd in Substance, "That it having pleas'd Almighty God to make his Majefty "the happy Inftrument of refcuing thefe Nations "from great and eminent Dangers, and to place "Him upon the Throne of thefe Kingdoms, He "thought himself oblig'd to promote the Welfare "of His People, which could never be effectually "fecur'd, but by preventing the Miferies that "threaten'd them from Abroad; That when He "confider'd the many unjuft Methods the French King had of late Years taken to gratifie his Am"bition, that he had not only invaded the Territories of the Emperor, and the Empire, now in

66

Amity with his Majefty, laying waft whole Coun "tries, and deftroying the Inhabitants by his Ar"mies, but declar'd War against his Majefty's Al"lies without any Provocation, in manifeft viola"tion of the Treaties confirm'd by the Guaranty "of the Crown of England, He could do no leís "than join with His Allies in oppofing the Defigns "of the French King, as the Disturber of the Peace, "and the common Enemy of the Chriftian World. "That befides the Obligations his Majefty lay un"der by Treaties with his Allies, which were a "fufficient

"fufficient Juftification of Him for taking up Arms A. C. "at this time, fince they had call'd upon Him fo to 1689. "do, the many Injuries done to Him and His Sub'jects, without any Reparation, by the French King, 66 were fuch, that (however of late Years they were 66 not took notice of, for Reafons well known to "the World, nevertheless) He would not pass "them over without a publick and just Refentment "of fuch Outrages. That it was not long fince "the French took Licenfes from the Governor of "Newfoundland to Fish in the Seas upon that Coast, "and paid a Tribute for fuch Licenfes, as an Ac"knowledgment of the fole Right of the Crown of "England to that Ifland; yet of late the Encroachments of the French upon that Ifland, and his

66

Majefties Subjects Trade and Fifhery, had been "more like the Invafions of an Enemy, than be"coming Friends, who enjoy'd the Advantages of "that Trade only by Permiffion. But that the "French King fhould Invade his Majefty's Charibbee "Iflands, and poffefs himself of the Province of "New York, and of Hudson's Bay in a Hoftile man

ner, detaining fome of his Majesties Subjects "under the hardship of Impriforment, and caufing "others to be Inhumanely kill'd, were Actions not "becoming even an Enemy; and yet that he was "fo far from declaring himself so, that at that very "time he was Negotiating here in England, by his "Ministers, a Treaty of Neutrality and good Corre"fpondence in America. That the French King's "Countenancing the Seizure of English Ships by "French Privateers, forbidding the Importation of great part of the Product and Manufacture of "this Kingdom, and impofing Exhorbitant Cuftoms upon the reft, notwithstanding the vaft Advantages he and the French Nation reap'd by theirCom"merce with England, were fufficient Evidences of "his Defigns to deftroy the Trade, and confequent"ly to ruin the Navigation, upon which the Wealth

66

and Safety of this Nation very much depends. "That the Right of the Flag, inherent in the Crown "" of England, had been difputed by the French King's Orders, in Violation of his Majesty's Sovereignty

G &

of

A. C. "of the narrow Seas, which in all Ages had been 1689. afferted by his Majefties Predeceffors, and He .. was refolv'd to maintain for the Honour of His "Crown and the English Nation. But that which "moft nearly touch'd his Majesty, was the French King's Unchriftian Profecution of many of his Majefties English Proteftant Subjects, for Matters of Religion, contrary to the Law of Nations, and exprefs Treaties, forcing them to abjure their Re"ligion by ftrange and unusual Cruelties; and Im"prifoning fome of the Mafters and Seamen of 66 English Merchant Ships, and condemning others

c

to the Gallies, upon pretence of having on board "either fome of his own miferable Proteftant Sub"jects, or their Effects. And lastly, that as he "had for fome Years laft paft endeavour'd by Infinu"ations and Promises of Ailiftance,to overthrow the "Government of England, fo now by open and "violent Methods, and the actual Invafion of Ire"land, in fupport of his Majefty's Subjects in Re"bellion, he was promoting the utter Extirpation "of his Majefties Good and Loyal Subjects in that Kingdom. That being therefore thus necenitated "to take up Arms, his Majefty thought fit to declare "War against the French King.

Some Days before this Proclamation, the War was Sea Fight at Bantry, more effectually declar'd by an Engagement beBay, May tween the English and French Fleets, in Bantry-Bay. Admiral Herbert being inform'd that a confiderable Supply, which the King of France fent to King James, was Shipping off at Breft, intended to have gone directly towards that Harbour, but the Wind coming Eafterly, which might bring the French Fleet out, he ftood on the 24th of April over to Kingfale,which he judg'd the likelieft way to meet them. The 30th the English Admiral heard the Enemy were gone into Baltimore, being 44 Sail, Commanded by Monfieur Chateau-Renaut; whereupon he bore away towards that place, but found there no sign of them. In the Evening his Scouts got fight of them again to the Weftward of Cape-Cleare, and faw them making Bantry-Bay. The English Fleet lay off the Bay all Night, and the next Morning by break of Day flood

in, and found the French at Anchor. Upon their ap. A. C. proach the Enemy got prefently under Sail, and 1689. bore down upon them in a Line of 28 Men of War and Firefhips. When the French came within Musket fhot of the Defiance, the forcmoft of the English Ships, Monfieur de Chateau-Renaut put out the Signal of Battle, which was begun by Firing great and fmall Shot at the English Fleet, before they could form their Line. The English made feveral boards to gain the Wind, or at least to engage the Enemy clofer, but finding that way of working very difadvantageous, Admiral Herbert ftood off to Sea, as well as to have got his Ships into a Line, as to have gain'd the Wind of the French, but found them fo cautious in bearing down, that he could never get an opportunity to do it, which oblig'd him after feveral hours battering upon a stretch to bear off, and return towards Scilly, with the lofs of 100 Men Kill'd, and about 300 Wounded. The English Of ficers, and Seamen behav'd themfelves with fuch extraordinary Bravery and Chearfulness, as deterr'd the French from improving the Advantage of the Place, the Wind, their Firefhips, and their being much Superiour in Force; for they had 18 Ships, the leaft whereof was as big as the Elizabeth, in which was the English Admiral, whereas the latter had with him but 8 Third-Rates, 11 Fourth. Rates, 1 Firft Rate, and 2 Tenders. A Fortnight after his Majefty went to Portsmouth, both to haften the The King refitting of the Fleet, and to diftribute Rewards goes to to the Officers and Soldiers who had diftinguifh'd Portf themselves in the late Engagement. Admiral HerMay 15. bert was declar'd, and foon after made Earl of Tor. Admiral rington; Captain John Afhby, Commander of the Defiance, and Captain Cloudefly Shovel of the Edgar, made Earl receiv'd the honour of Knighthood; and each Sea- of Torman a Gratuity of 10 s. which amounted to the Sum rington, of 26000. Befides this Donative to the Living, his June 1. Majefty's Bounty extended to the Relicts of those who had loft their Lives in His and their Countries Service. Some report, that when the King receiv'd the News, of this Sea-Fight, He faid, That 'twas necessary

Gg 2

mouth,

Herbert