mouth, endeavour'd by his Envoy, Mr. Skelton, to 1685. get him fecur'd, and fent into England. This Defign could not be fo fecretly carried on, but that it came to the Knowledge of the Prince of Orange; who having more Generofity than to fuffer an innocent, forlorn Man to fall a Prey to his implacable Perfecutors, not only gave the Duke Notice of the Plot against him, by Monfieur Bentinck, his Favourite, but fupply'd him with Money to go privately to Bruffels; with a farther Affurance, That if he fhould go to the Campaign in Hungary, he would maintain him at his own Charge, with an Equipage fuitable to his Quality. The Duke had not been long at Bruffels, before the Marquis de Grana, Governour of the Netherlands, to comply with King James's Requeft, (in a Letter, wherein he charg'd the Duke with High-Treafon) gave him Notice forthwith to depart the Spanish Dominions: Hereupon he privately return'd to Holland, where he found the Earl of Argile, the Lord Grey, Sir John Cockram, Colonel Holmes, Ferguson, Rumbold, and feveral English and Scotch Exiles, upon Account of the late Plot; who being equally enrag'd against King James, cherish'd the Duke's Refentment, and with him concerted Measures to revenge themselves on their common and irreconcileable Enemy. 'Tis faid the Variety of their Opinions kept the Duke awhile in Sufpence: The Earl of Argile, Sir John Cockram, Rumbold, and fome others, were for changing the English Monarchy into a Commonwealth; but the Lord Grey, Fergufon, and the reft of that Party, fed him with the glittering Hopes of a Crown. His natural Ambition made him fide with the laft; but he was fo wife as to conceal his Delign from those who were against it, and manag'd the Earl of Argile fo cunningly, that he pafs'd with him for a good Republican. Preliminaries being thus adjufted, it was refolved that the Earl fhould make an Infurrection in Scotland, where his great Family and large Poffeffions gave him a vaft Intereft, and that the Duke fhould invade England.

1685.

Lands at Lyme.

Whilft thefe things were in Agitation, Mr. Skel ton, by his Mifter's Order, made preiling Inftances to the States to banifh from their Dominions the Rebellious English and Scots, who lurk'd in their principal Towns, and plotted against His Majefty, and deliver'd to them a Lift of about a Hundred of thefe Malecontents; the States comply'd with the King's Defire; but notwithftanding the fearch that was made after the Perfons nam'd in the Lift, the Earl of Argile made all things ready for his intended Expedition, and fail'd in May with Three Ships for Scotland.

Thefe Preparations could not be made fo fecretly as to escape the Vigilance of Skelton, a zealous and faithful Minifter, who upon the firit Notice he had of them, us'd his utmott Endeavours to ftop the Duke of Monmouth's Veffels; but all he could effect, was only to deprive him of a finall Frigot, fo that the Duke fail'd with Three Ships out of the Texel, and fafely landed at Lyme, in Dorfet/hire, the 11th of June, with about Fourfcore Malecontents, whofe Number foon after encreas'd to about 2000 Foot, and 300 Horle.

The King, who had a Fleet cruifing at Sea, Alatter'd himfelf, that in cafe his Envoy had not been able to prevent the Duke's failing from Holland, he could not but fall into the Hands of his Admi ral; but he was not a little furpriz'd at the Arriyal of an Exprefs from the Mayor of Lyme, by whom he was inform'd, That the Duke had not only made himself Mafter of that little Town, but had likewife fent out feveral of his Followers into the neighbouring Counties to caufe an Infurrection, and invite People to join with him; and that the better to compafs his Ends, he had put out a Manifefto, entitled, The DECLARATION of JAMES Duke of MONMOUTH, and the Noblemen, Gentlemen, and others now in Arms, for the Defence and Vindication of the Proteftant Religion, and the Laws, Rights and Priviledges of England.

The

The King alarum'd at this News, affembled 1685. his Privy Council, and by their Advice iffued out

a Proclamation, whereby the Duke and all his Ad- Proceedings herents were declar'd Traytors and Rebels; and of the Court the Parliament being then fitting, his Majefty ac- and Par quainted both the Houses with the impending liament Danger, and receiv'd the fame Day a very Loyal against him. Addrefs from each House, wherein they promifed to expose their Lives and Fortunes in the Defence of his Rights, and Prefervation of his Perfon. Soon after the Parliament caus'd the Duke's Declaration to be burnt by the common Hangman, which ferving only to make People more eager to read it, and the Court being apprehenfive how far it might favour the Duke's Defigns, a Proclamation was publifh'd, whereby it was made Treafon to fpread the faid Declaration. The Parliament made alfo an Act, whereby James Duke of Monmouth was Attaint'd of High-Treafon; and in pursuance of which, another Proclamation was iffued out, promifing a Reward of Five Thousand Pounds to any one that should fecure him Dead or Alive.

In the mean while the General of the Malecontents being inform'd that the Duke of Albemarle was not far from Lyme, with near 4000 Men under his Command, endeavour'd to bring him over to his fide; and as fome fay, writ to him a Letter, fubfcrib'd James Rex, to which the Duke of Albe marle made Anfwer, That he had never been a Rebel, nor ever would be one. Others pretend these two Letters to be fpurious; but whatever they be, the Duke of Monmouth, either through a Principle of Religion, or as 'twas credibly reported, through want of Provifious, having caus'd a Faft to be ob- He marches ferv'd at Lyme, march'd from thence to Taunton, from Lyme another Town in Somersetshire, where he was re-to Taun ceiv'd with unusual Demonftrations of Joy; and at the Sollicitation of his Friends, and of the Country People, proclaim'd King. The beginning of his Chimerical Reign was fignaliz'd by three Proclamations; the one fetting a fum of Money on King James's Head; the fecond declaring the Parliament of England a Seditious Affembly; and

the

ton, &c.

1685. the third the Duke of Albemarle a Traytor, if he laid not down his Arms forthwith. Having ftaid there a while, he march'd in fome kind of Order to Bridgwater, till encreafing his fmall Army; from thence to Bath, where he was denied Entrance, the Trainbands ftill flying two Days March before him, by Order from the Court, to give Pretence to the King to raise more Forces. At Philips Norton, by a Surprize or Ambufh, he cut off the beft part of a Troop of Horfe of the King's Army; the Duke of Grafton narrowly escaping with his Life. Encourag'd by this Succefs he march'd within two Miles of Bristol, where having call'd a Council of War, he was advis'd not to enter that City, but to retreat back to Bridgwater, which falfe ftep began to Difhearten his Party, and hinder'd many from joining with him; whereas if he had enter'd Bristol, there being no Force to oppofe him but the Trainbands, (and the generality of them for him, not only in their Hearts, but in open Difcourfes, and drinking his Health,) he might have furnish'd himfelf with Men, Arms and Money, and thence march'd into Glocestershire among the Clothiers, where great Numbers, and even Men of Quality, waited to join him; and by this means might have kept up the War, till he had fhak'd King James's Throne, if not overturn'd it.

Upon King James's Acceffion to the Crown, the Prince of Orange, as became a Nephew and Son-in-law, try'd all poflible Means to cultivate a

fincere Friendship with him, and to perfuade him The Prince to follow fuch Methods as might conduce to the of Orange common Safety of Europe, and the Happiness of offers to England; which if King James had litten'd to, he come over to would have preferv'd his Crown with Glory; and the King's tho' the Prince had formerly taken the Duke of MonAffiftance. mouth into his generous Protection, yet as foon as

he was inform'd that he had invaded England, was proclaim'd King, and began to gather Strength, he thought himself fo far concern'd, that he not only difpatch'd over the Six English and Scotch Regiments in the Dutch Service, but also fent away

Mon

Monfieur Bentinck to the King, with Orders to ac- 1685. quaint him; that though he look'd upon the Duke of Monmouth to be a Man of no great Parts, yet 3 that he had a Warlike Genius, and was better E skill'd in the Military Art,than any the King was to Employ againft him; and that therefore, if His Majefty pleas'd, he would not only lend him his Troops, but come in Perfon to Head his Army against the Rebels. But the fame thing in effect having been communicated to Skelton, who look'd upon the Prince as one of thofe great Politicians, whofe Steps are always Sufpicious, he us'd fuch Diligence as to give the King Notice of his Inten

tion before Monfieur Bentinck could arrive; and that His Offer with fuch unfavourable Interpretation upon the is refus'd. Prince's Offer, that the King put off Monfieur Bentinck with telling hin, He fhould acquaint his Mafter, that their common Interefts did require the Prince his ftaying in Holland; and giving him further to underftand, that he did not take His Highness's Zeal for his Service to be at that Time feasonable. 'Tis reported, that to encrease the King's Jealoufie of the Prince, the vigilant Skelton inform'd him of a fecret Promise the Duke of Monmouth had made the Prince of Refigning to him the Throne of England, as foon as he should have turn'd King James out of it; and that the Breach of this Promife, evidenc'd by the Duke's fuffering himself to be proclaim'd King, was the true Reafon of the Prince's Indignation against him.

However, the King did well enough at this Time without the Prince's Affiftance, and was ferv'd not only with Zeal, Fidelity and Affection, but alfo with Skill, Courage and Conduct by his own Troops and their Leaders. The Dukes of Grafton, Albemarle, Somerset, and Beaufort, who commanded fmall Bodies; the Earl of Feversham, General of the Army, the Lord Churchil, Colonel Oglethorp, and feveral other brave Officers, fo clofely befet the Duke of Monmouth, that feeing his Men daily Defert in great Numbers, he refolv'd to make one defperate Pufh for all, and to fight with unequal Force, either to Vanquish or Die like a Man of

Cou