the prince landed his army at the village of Broxholme in Torbay, on the fifth of November, which was the anniversary of the gun-powder treason.

But though the invitation from the English was very general, the prince for fome time had the mortification to find himself joined by very few. He marched first to Exeter, where the country people had been fo lately terrified with the executions which had enfued on Monmouth's rebellion, that they continued to obferve a strict neutrality. He remained for ten days in expectation of being joined by the male contents, and at laft begun to defpair of fuccefs. But juft when he began to deliberate about reimbarking his forces, he was joined by several perfons of confequence, and the whole country foon after came flocking to his ftandard. The nobility, clergy, officers, and even the king's own fervants and creatures, were unanimous in deferting James. Lord Churchill had been raised from the rank of a page, and had been invefted with a high command in the army; had been created a peer, and owed his whole fortune to the king's bounty; even he deferted among the reft, and carried with him the duke of Grafton, natural fon to the late king, colonel Berkely, and fome others.

The prince of Denmark, and Anne, his favourite daughter, perceiving the defperation of his circumftances, refolved to leave him, and take part with the prevailing fide. When he was told that the prince and princefs had followed the rest of his favourites, he was ftung with the most bitter anguish. "God help me,” cried he, in the extremity of his agony, "children have forfaken me."

my own

The king, alarmed every day more and more with the profpect of a general difaffection, was refolved to hearken to thofe who advised his quitting the kingdom.. To prepare for this he firft fent away the queen, who arrived fafely at Calais, under the conduct of count Lauzun, an old favourite of the French king. He himfelf foon after difappeared in the night time, attended only by Sir Edward Hales, a new convert; but was difcovered and brought back by the mob.

Bat

But fhortly after, being confined at Rochefter, and obferving that he was entirely neglected by his own fubjects, he refolved to feek fafety from the king of France, the only friend he had ftill remaining. He accordingly fled to the fea fide, attended by his natural fon the duke of Berwick, where he embarked for the continent, and arrived in fafety at Ambleteufe in Picardy, from whence he haftened to the court of France, where he ftill enjoyed the empty title of a king, and the appellation of a faint, which flattered him more.

The king having thus abdicated the throne, A. D. the next confideration was the appointing a fuc1689. ceffor. Some declared for a regent; others, that the princefs of Orange fhould be invefted with regal power, and the young prince confidered as fuppofitious. After a long debate in both houfes, a new fovereign was preferred to a regent, by a majority of two voices. It was agreed, that the prince and princefs of Orange fhould reign jointly as king and queen of Eng land, while the adminiftration of government fhould be placed in the hands of the prince only.

J

III.

than he

governing a people, who were more ready to examine the commands of their fuperiors than to obey them.

His reign commenced with an attempt fimilar to that which had been the principal caufe of all the diftur. bances in the preceding reign, and which had excluded the monarch from the throne. William was a calvinist, and confequently averfe to perfecution; he therefore began by attempting to repeal thofe laws that enjoined uniformity of worship; and though he could not entirely fucceed in his defign, a toleration was granted to fuch diffenters as fhould take the oaths of allegiance, and hold no private conventicles.

In the mean time James, whofe authority was ftill acknowledged in Ireland, embarked at Breft for that kingdom, and on May 22d arrived at Kinfale. He foon after made his public entry into Dublin, amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants. He found the appearances of things in that country equal to his moft fanguine expec

tations.

tations. Tyrconnel, the lord lieutenant, was devoted to his interefts; his old army was fteady, and a new one raifed, amounting together to near forty thoufand men.

As foon as the feafon would permit, he went to lay fiége to Londonderry, a town of fmall importance in itfelf, but rendered famous by the ftand it made on this occafion.

The befieged endured the most poignant fufferings from fatigue and famine, until at laft relieved by a ftore hip, that happily broke the boom laid acrofs the river to prevent a fupply.. The joy of the inhabitants at this unexpected relief, was only equalled by the rage and difappointment of the befiegers, The army of James was fo difpirited by the fuccefs of this enterprife, that they abandoned the fiege in the night; and retired with precipitation, after having loft above nine thousand men before the place.

It was upon the oppofite fides of the river Boyne

that both armies came in fight of each other, in- A. D. flamed with all the animofities arifing from reli- 1690. gion, hatred, and revenge. The river Boyne at this place was not fo deep, but that men might wade over on foot; however, the banks were rugged, and rendered bangerous by old houfes and ditches, which ferved to defend the latent enemy. William, who now headed the proteftant army, had no fooner arrived, but he rode along the fide of the river in fight of both armies, to make proper obfervations upon the plan of battle; but, in the mean time, being perceived by the enemy, a can. non was privately brought out, and planted against him, where he was fitting. The fhot killed feveral of his followers, and he himfelf was wounded in the fhoulder,

Early the next morning, at fix o'clock, king William gave orders to force a paffage over the river. This the army undertook in three different places; and, after a fu rious cannonading, the battle began with unufual vigour. The Irish troops, though reckoned the beft in Europe abroad, have always fought indifferently at home. After an obftinate refiftance, they fled with precipitation, leaving the French and Swifs regiments, who came to their affiftance, to make the best retreat they could.

M 3

William

William led on his horfe in perfon; and contributed, by his activity and vigilance, to fecure the victory. James was not in the battle, but food aloof during the action, on the hill of Dunmore, furrounded with fome fquadrons of horfe; and at intervals was heard to exclaim, when he faw his own troops repulfing those of the enemy, "O fpare my English fubjects."

The Irish loft about fifteen hundred men and the Proteftants about one third of that number. The victory was fplendid and almoft decifive; but the death of the duke of Schomberg, who was fhot as he was croffing the water, feemed to outweigh the whole lofs fuftained by

the enemy.

The laft battle fought in favour of James was A. D. at Aughrim. The enemy fought with furprifing 1691. fury, and the horse were feveral times repulfed;

but the English wading through the middle of a bog up to the waift in mud, and rallying with fome diffi. culty on the firm ground on the other fide, renewed the combat with great fury. St. Ruth, the Irish general, being killed by a cannon ball, his fate fo difpirited his troops, that they gave way on all fides, and retreated to Limerick, where they refolved to make a final stand, after having loft above five thousand of the flower of their ar my. Limerick, the laft retreat of the Irish forces, made a brave defence: but foon feeing the enemy advanced within ten paces of the bridge-foot, and perceiving themfelves furrounded on all fides, they determined to capitu. late; a negotiation was immediately begun, and hoftilities ceafed on both fides. The Roman Catholics, by this capitulation, were reftored to the enjoyment of those liberties in the exercife of their religion, which they had poffeffed in the reign of king Charles the Second. All perfons were indulged with free leave to remove with their families and effects to any other country, except England and Scotland. In confequence of this, above fourteen thousand of those who had fought for king James went over into France, having transports provided by government for conveying them thither.

James