December. Party were much fewer in number, because they believed the whole Army was at hand.

The Popish Party was become fo contemptible in London, that on Thurday the Sixth of December there was an Hue and Cry after Father Peters, publickly cried and fold in the Streets of London. But this was not the worst neither; for about the fame time came forth this following Declaration, in the Name of the Prince of Orange.

By his Highness William Henry, Prince of Orange,

A Third Declaration.

WE have in the courfe of our whole life, more parti

cularly by the apparent hazards both by Sea and Land, to which we have fo lately expofed our Perfon, given to the whole World fo high and undoubted Proofs of our fervent Zeal for the Proteftant Religion, that we are fully confident no true Englishman and good Protestant can entertain the leaft Sufpicion of our firm Refolution, rather to spend our deareft Blood and perish in the Attempt, than not to carry on the bleffed and glorious 'Defign, which by the favour of Heaven we have fo fuccessfully begun, to rescue England, Scotland and Ireland from 'SLAVERY and POPERY, and in a Free Parliament 'to Establish the Religion, the Laws, and the Liberties of 'thefe Kingdoms on fuch a fure and lafting Foundation, 'that it fhall not be in the Power of any Prince for the 'future to introduce Popery and Tyranny.

'Towards the more eafie compaffing this great Defign, ⚫ we have not been hitherto deceived in the juft Expectation we had of the concurrence of the Nobility, Gentry, and People of England with us, for the Security of their Religion, and the Reftitution of the Laws, and the Reeftablishment of their Liberties and Properties: Great ' numbers of all Ranks and Qualities having joyned themfelves to us; and others, at great diftances from us, have taken up Arms and Declared for Us. And which we cannot but particularly mention in that Army which was 'raised to be the Inftrument of Slavery and Popery, many

:(by

(by the fpecial Providence of God) both Officers and December. common Soldiers have been touched with fuch a feeling 'fenfe of Religion, and Honour, and of true Affection to their Native Country,that they have already deserted the illegal Service they were engaged in, and have come over to Us, and have given us full affurance from the rest of the Army, That they will certainly follow this Example, as 'foon as with our Army we fhall approach near enough to receive them without hazard of being prevented and betray'd. To which end, and that we may the fooner execute this juft and neceffary Defign we are engaged in 'for the publick Safety and Deliverance of thefe Nations, "We are refolved, with all poffible diligence, to advance forward, that a Free Parliament may be forthwith called, and fuch Preliminaries adjusted with the King, and all things first fetled upon fuch a foot according to Law, as may give us and the whole Nation juft reafon to believe the King is difpofed to make fuch neceffary Condefcenfion on his part, as will give entire Satisfaction and Security to all, and make both "King and People once more happy.

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And that we may effect all this in the way moft agree'able to our defires, if it be poffible, without the effufion of any Blood, except of those execrable Criminals who have justly forfeited their Lives, for betraying the Religion, and fubverting the Laws of their Native Country, we do think fit to declare, that as we will offer no violence to any but in our own neceffary defence; fo we will not suffer any injury to be done to the Perfon even of any Papift, provided he be found in fuch place and condition and circumftances as the Laws require. So we are refolved and do declare, That all Papists who shall be found in open Arms, or with Arms in their Houfes, or about "their Perfons, or in any Office or Employment Civil or Military, upon any pretence whatfoever, contrary to the "known Laws of the Land, fhall be treated by us and 'our Forces, not as Soldiers and Gentlemen, but as Robbers, Free-booters, and Banditti: They fhall be incapable of Quarter, and intirely delivered up to the Difcretion of our Soldiers. And we do further declare, That all Perfons who fhall be found any ways aiding and affifting to

them,

C

December. them, or fhall march under their Command, or fhall joyn with, or fubmit to them in the difcharge or execution of 'their illegal Commiffions or Authority, fhall be looked upon as Partakers of their Crimes, Enemies to the Laws, and to their Country.

"And whereas we are certainly informed, that great num'bers of Armed Papifts have of late reforted to London and Westminster, and Parts adjacent, where they remain, as 'we have reafon to fufpect, not fo much for their own Se'curity, as out of a wicked and barbarous Defign to make 'fome defperate Attempts upon the faid Cities, and the Inhabitants, by Fire, or a fudden Maffacre, or both, or 'elfe to be the more ready to joyn themselves to a Body of French Troops, defigned, if it be poffible, to land in England, procured of the French King by the Interest and Power of the Jefuits in pursuance of the Engagements, which, at the Inftigation of that peftilent Society, his Moft Chriftian Majefty, with one of his Neighbouring 'Princes of the fame Communion, has entred into, for the utter Extirpation of the Proteftant Religion out of Europe. Though we hope we have taken fuch effectual care to prevent the one, and fecure the other, that by God's affiftance, we cannot doubt but we fhall defeat all their wicked Enterprises and Defigns.

We cannot however forbear, out of our great and tender concern we have to preferve the People of England, ' and particularly thofe great and populous Cities, from the cruel Rage, and bloody Revenge of the Papifts, to 'require and expect from all the Lord-Lieutenants, and Juftices of the Peace, Lord Mayors,Mayors,Sheriffs, and other "Magiftrates and Officers Civil and Military, of all Counties, Cities and Towns of England, efpecially of the County of Middlefex, and Cities of London and Westmin fter, and Parts adjacent, that they do immediately difarm and fecure, as by Law they may and ought, within their refpective Counties, Cities and Jurifdictions, all Papists 'whatfoever, as Perfons at all times, but now especially, "moft dangerous to the Peace and Safety of the Government, that fo not only all power of doing Mifchief may be taken from them, but that the Laws, which are the greatest

greatest and best Security, may resume their force, and be December. ftrictly executed.

And we do hereby likewife declare, That we will protect and defend all thofe who fhall not be afraid to 'to do their Duty in Obedience to thefe Laws. And that 'for those Magiftrates and others, of what condition foever they be, who fhall refuse to affist Us, and in Obedience to the Laws to execute vigoroufly what we have required of them, and fuffer themselves at this juncture, to be cajolled or terrified out of their Duty, we will efteem them the 'moft Criminal and Infamous of all Men, Betrayers of 'their Religion, the Laws, and their Native Country, and 'fhall not fail to treat them accordingly, refolving to expect and require at their hands the Life of every single 'Proteftant that fhall perish, and every Houfe that fhall be burnt and destroyed by Treachery and Cowardize.

Given under our Hand and Seal, at our Head Quarters at Sherburn
Caftle, the Twenty eighth of November, 1688.

WILLIAM HENRY, PRINCE OF ORANGE.

By his Highness's Special Command,

C. HUYGENS.

This was the boldest Attempt that ever was made by a private Perfon; for it is certain the Prince knew nothing of this Declaration, and difowned it fo foon as he heard of it; but yet it was printed in London, and a quantity of them were fent in a Penny-Poft Letter to the Lord Mayor of London, who forthwith carried them to the King to whitehall; and it is thought this fham Paper contributed very much to the fixing and haftning his Refolution of leaving the Nation; however there was no enquiry made after the Author or Printer of it that I could take notice of.

On Sunday the Ninth of December it is faid Count Dada, the Pope's Nuncio, and many others departed from Whitehall, and the next Morning about three or four of the Clock the

N

Queen,

December. Queen, the Child and as was faid) Father Peters croffed the Water to Lambeth in three Coaches, each of fix Horles, and with a strong Guard went to Greenwich, and fo to Gravefend, where they imbarked on a Yatch for France: And it is fuppofed fhe carried the Great Seal of England with her, it having never appeared after this.

Before this the Marquifs of Hallifax, the Earl of Notting-` ham, and the Lord Godolphin, had been fent by the King and Council to treat with the Prince of Orange, and to adjust the Preliminaries in order to the holding of a Parliament, who the Eighth of December fent thefe Proposals to him.

SIR,

"The
"He King commands us to acquaint you, That he
obferveth all the differences and caufes of Complaint
'alledged by your Highnefs, feem to be referred to a Free

'Parliament.

'His Majefty, as he hath already declared, was refolved before this to call one, but thought that in the present "state of Affairs, it was advifable to defer it till things were more compofed; yet feeing that his People ftill *continue to defire it, he hath put forth his Proclamation. in order to it, and hath iffued forth his Writs for the Calling of it.

And to prevent any caufe of Interruption in it, he will confent to every thing that can be reasonably required for 'the Security of all thofe that come to it.

His Majefty hath therefore fent us to attend your High: nefs, for the adjufting of all Matters that fhall be agreed to be neceffary to the Freedom of Elections, and the Security, of Sitting, and is ready to enter immediately into a Treaty in order to it.

His Majefty propofeth, that in the mean time the refpective Armies may be retained within fuch Limits, and at fuch distance from London, > as may prevent the Apprehenfions that the Parliament may be in any kind difturbed, being defirous that the Meeting may be no

longer