1688. After this he fent the following Letter to the Prin of Orange, fubfcribed by himself, and by Three g neral Officers.

False Alarm *broughout all Eng

land, Dec.

13.

1

SIR

HAving receiv'd this Morning a Letter fro "His Majefty, with the unfortunate New of his Refolution to go out of England, I thoug 66 my felf oblig'd, being at the Head of his Am "and having receiv'd his Orders to make "Oppofition against any Body, to let Yo "Highness know it, with the Advice of the 0 CC cers here, fo foon as was poffible, to hinder "Effufion of Blood. I have order'd already, "that Purpose, all the Troops that are under Command, which fhall be the laft Order t fhall receive from Feversham, Lanier, Fa "Oglethorp.

The Trumpeter the Earl of Feversham had epatch'd with his Letter to the Prince, ret without an Anfwer; which fhew'd His nefs did not approve his Conduct in this cal Conjuncture and indeed most of the L London blan'd that General for Disbanding Army in fo hafty a mamer, without, at lea Advice of the Peers of the Realm, if he thought too much to wait for His Highness's Directi A panick Fear, which the next Day alarm'd City of London, contributed much to the Cent which the Earl incurr'd: Some Country Fellows arriving towards Midnight at Westminster, caus a fudden Uproar, by reporting that the Inna defperate Rage, were approaching London, fring the Houfes, and putting Man, Woman and Child to the Sword. This falfe Report gather'd as it wer along, fo that in few Moments, not only the Tr ed-Bands and difciplin'd Troops appear'd in Ar but every Body leaving their Beds, plac'd Lightm their Windows, betook themfelves, with half the Cloaths on, the moft fearful to Flight, the mor folute to their Weapons: And what is moft firang this Alarm fpread it felf the fame Night over the

whol

whole Kingdom, and all that were able to carry 1688. Arms, vowed the Defence of their Lives, Laws, Religion and Liberties, and food refolv'd to detroy all the Irish and Papists in England, in cafe ny Injury were offer'd them. Some faid, That his general Fright was occafion'd by Seven or Eight, rish Soldiers, who having no Money, refolv'd to eep themselves from ftarving, by forcibly entring nto a Country Houfe: Whilft they were cuffing with those who would have thruft them out, a altry Cottage happen'd to catch Fire, whereupn all the neighbouring Towns and Villages rang heir Alarm Bells, which were ecchoed throughut all England. Some Politicians affign'd another Caufe (which was moft probable) of this univerfal Terror, and faid it was induftriously propagated by he Directions of Duke Schomberg, both to feel the Pulfe of the Nation, and to infpire them with Reentment against the Popish Party, by letting them ee to what Dangers they were reduc'd by the ringing of Irish Troops into the Kingdom.

The Day before this Confternation, Chancellor Chancellor Jeffreys, whom every Body thought to be gone Jeffreys vith the King, having difguis'd and abfconded him- apprehendelf in a Seaman's Houfe in Wapping, in order to ed,Dec, 13, his Escape beyond Sea; as he was looking out of the Window in a Seaman's Monmouth-Cap, was difcover'd by a Clerk in Chancery, that accidentally past by. Thereupon he was immediately apprehended, And after a fair Deliverance from theMob,that would have tom him to pieces, carried before the LordMayor, who fell into a Fit of an Apoplexy, whilft he was asking him fome Questions; the fame Day the Peers affembled at Whitehall with Tome of the Privy-Council, committed him to Tower, where the Confcience of his Crimes (particularly the Death of the Lady Life) pursuing him, he endeavour'd to drown his Remorfes in Wine. which put him into a Fever, and that coft him his He dies, Life. Thus ended his Days, George Jeffreys, Baron of Wema Man of great natural Parts, and who His Cha might have challeng'd a Place among the First- ra&ter, Rate Lawyers of England, if he had been freddy

PS 2

1688. in his Principles, and not made his Talents tru kle to his Ambition; but being fway'd by t Luft of Honours and Riches, he roar'd more lo ly against the Proteftants, when Lord Chancellor,: King James's Reign, than he had inveigh'd again the Papifts in the time of the Popish Plot, wh he was Recorder of the City of London.

The Prince The Prince of Orange, in the mean time, was of Orange's vanc'd as far as Henly with the greatest part. Declarati- his Army, and finding the King's Troops, no on, Dec.13. without a Head, to commit many Disorders. H

Highnefs iffued out a Declaration, fetting form That being inform'd that divers Regiments, In and Companies, had been encourag'd to difperfet felves in an unusual and unwarrantable ma whereby the publick Peace was very much distur He had thought fit hereby to require all Colon Commanders in chief of fuch Regiments, &c. together the feveral Officers and Soldiers belang to their respective Regiments in fuch Places as fhould find most convenient for their Kendezvou, there to keep them in good Order and Difcipline. & His Highness did likewife direct and requir fuch Officers and Soldiers forthwith to repair Places as should be appointed for that. Purpofs by Commanders in chief, whereof speedy Notice wit given to His Highness for his further Orders.

At the fame time His Highnefs fent a Lettat the Earl of Danby, to defire him to come to and order'd Mr. Blaithwait, Secretary of War bring him an Account of the King's Army. H alfo difpatch'd the Lord Churchill to Londo reaffemble his Troop of Life-Guards, and dict the Duke of Grafton to go and take Poffion Tilbury Fort, with his Regiment of Foot Guards. The Duke was marching through the Strand the Head of his Regiment, when an Irish Troope of Salisbury's Regiment, galloping down Cathar ftreet like a mad Man, took his Aim at his Grace with his Carabine; one of the Duke's Grenadies was quicker than the Trooper, and fhot him in mediately from his Horfe; nor did he live long enough to confefs the Reafon of fo defperate an ་

Attempt

Attempt. The Duke of Grafton went on towards 1688. ilbury, where the Iri that guarded that Poft, ot thinking themfelves fafe, refolved to make heir Efcape beyond Sea, and for that Purpose feiz'd pon a Merchant-man bound for Smyrna; but the eamen, as they fail'd down the River, run the effel on Shear, where Multitudes of People flockng together, the Irish paid dear for their Teme

ty.

Let's return to the King. His Majefty, with His Three Followers, having crofs'd the Thames at hitehall, went by Land as far as a certain Place ear Feversham, where he embark'd in a fmall effel that was to carry him to a Frigat, commanded by Magdonel, a faithful and tout Irish aptain, who waited for His Majefty at Margate. The Weather was formy, and the Veffel wanted allaft; now whilft the Seamen were bufie in ringing it in, Hales fent his Footman to the Poftffice at Feverfham: A Gunner belonging to Doveraftle, whom Hales had formerly calhier'd, knew refently the Footman by his Livery, and dogging im to the River-fide, he faw him make Signs to me People that were aboard a Bark. Thereupn he affembled the Fishermen, Seamen, and oher Free-booters of that Place, who at this time ook upon themfelves to fearch all the Ships that zent by, and made bold to ftop, and at least, to rob 11 Paffengers whom they fuipected to be Priefts, furing them of a good Booty in that Bark where ir Edward Hales muft infallibly be. Encourag'd y this fhort Harangue, they immediately boarded ie Veffel, and meeting firit of all with Hales, The King heir Joy was extraordinary, Hales being equally taken at well known, and very much hated in that Coun- Fevery; as for the King, they fuppos'd him to be Hales's fham, Chaplain, because he wore a Bob Wig; befides, the Dec. 12. Perfonal Indignities, (too grofs to be nam'd) which his facrilegious Rabble put upon their Sovereign, hey took 400 Guineas from His Majefty; and inding befides this, a great Sum of Money, feveal valuable Seals, and other Jewels about him, hey began to fufpect him to be fomething more

S 3

than

1688. than an ordinary Prieft. Abundance of People being by this time gather'd on the Shoar, fome of them went into the Ship, and amongst these a Conftable, who acknowledging his Soveraign through his Difguife, fell prefently at his Feet, begg'd His Majefty to forgive the Rudeness of the unruly Mob, and bid the Fellows to return him what they had robb'd him of; but the King would only receive the Jewels, and gave the Gold amongst 'em. His Majefty told the Con ftable he hop'd he would ufe him well; and when he faw every Body paid him the Refpect due to a Monarch, he earneftly endeavour'd to be gone; but the People being unwilling to let him, His Majefty then fent for the Earl of Winchelsea, who prevail'd with him not to leave the Kingdom, and whom he made Lord Lieutenant of the County, and Governor of Dover-Cattle. This ftrange Adventure fill'd the City of London with joyful Surprize, mott People being glad of an Opportunity to convince the King that there never was any ill Defign againft his Perfon. As for the Peers and Privy-Council, they were variously affected by this News, partly by reafon of the Advances they had made to the Prince of Orange; however, after fome Debates they appointed Four of their Members, viz. the Earls of Middleton. Ailesbury, Yarmouth and Feversham, to wait upon His Majefty, and invite him to his Palace at The Prince Whitehall; to which, tho' at firft he fhew'd fome of Orange Reluctance, yet at laft he condefcended. The Peers comes to alfo difpatch'd an Exprefs to the Prince of Orange Windfor, to acquaint him that the King was ftill in Eng Dec. 14. land; whereupon His Highness came to Windsor, Order of the and lodg'd in the Prince of Denmark's Apartment, which was prepar'd for his Reception; and the cerning the next Day their Lordships (in Purfuance of the Irish Dec. Prince's Directions) made an Order, whereby they requir'd all Irish Officers and Soldiers to repair to the refpective Bodies to which they did belong and de clar'd, That behaving themselves peaceably, they should have Subfifience paid them till they should be other. wife provided for, or employd: And the faid Officers

Peers con

and