tration. Warm debates ensued, and in all probability the motion would have been carried in the affirmative, had not those who spoke warmly in behalf of it, suddenly cooled in the course of the dispute. Some letters from king James to his partisans being intercepted, and containing some hints of an intended invasion, Mr. Hambden, chairman of the committee of the whole house, enlarged upon the imminent danger to which the kingdom was exposed, and moved for a farther supply to his majesty. In this unexpected motion he was not seconded by one member. The house, however, having taken the letters into consideration, resolved to draw up an address to the king, desiring him to secure and disarm all Papists of note; and they brought in a bill for attainting several persons in rebellion against their majesties; but it was not finished during this session.

§ XLV. Another bill being prepared in the house of lords, enjoining the subject to wear the woollen manufacture at certain seasons of the year, a petition was presented against it by the silk weavers of London and Canterbury, assembled in a tumultuous manner at Westminster. The lords refused their petition, because this was an unusual manner of application. They were persuaded to return to their respective places of abode; precautions were taken against a second riot; and the bill was unanimously rejected in the upper house. This parliament passed an act, vesting in the two universities the presentations belonging to Papists: those of the southern counties being given to Oxford; and those of the northern to Cambridge, on certain specified conditions. Courts of conscience were erected at Bristol, Gloucester, and Newcastle; and that of the marches of Wales was abolished, as an intolerable oppression. The Protestant clergymen, who had been forced to leave their benefices in Ireland, were rendered capable of holding any living in England, without forfeiting their title to their former preferment; with the proviso that

they should resign their English benefices when restored to those they had been obliged to relinquish. The statute of Henry IV. against multiplying gold and silver was now repealed: the subjects were allowed to melt and refine metals and ores, and extract gold and silver from them, on condition that it should be brought to the mint, and converted into money, the owners receiving its full value in current coin. These, and several other bills of smaller importance, being passed, the two houses adjourned to the 20th day of September, and afterward to the 19th day of October.

CHAP. II.

§ I. Duke of Schomberg lands with an army in Ireland-§ II. The In ́niskilliners obtain a victory over the Irish-§ III. Schomberg censured for his inactivity- IV. The French worsted at Walcourt§ V. Success of the confederates in Germany. The Turks defeated at Patochin, Nissa, and Widen-§ VI. Death of pope Innocent XI. VII. King William becomes unpopular-§ VIII. A good number of the clergy refuse to take the oaths-§ IX. The king grants a commission for reforming church-discipline—§ X. Meeting of the convocation-§ XI. Their session discontinued by repeated prorogations-§ XII. Proceedings in parliament-§ XIII. The whigs obstruct the bill of indemnity-§ XIV. The commons resume the inquiry into the cause of the miscarriages in Ireland-§ XV. King William irritated against the whigs-§ XVI. Plot against the government by sir James Montgomery, discovered by bishop Burnet -§ XVII. Warm debates in parliament about the corporation bills→ § XVIII. The king resolves to finish the Irish war in person—§ XIX. General Ludlow arrives in England, but is obliged to withdraw-§ XX. Efforts of the Jacobites in Scotland-§ XXI. The court interest triumphs over all opposition in that country-§ XXII. The tory interest prevails in the new parliament of England-§ XXIII. Bill for recognising their majesties-§ XXIV. Another violent contest about the bill of abjuration-§ XXV. King William lands in Ireland§ XXVI. King James marches to the Boyne-§ XXVII. William resolves to give him battle-§ XXVIII. Battle of the Boyne-§ XXIX. Death and character of Schomberg-§ XXX. James embarks for France- XXXI. William enters Dublin, and publishes his declaration-§ XXXII. The French obtain a victory over the English and Dutch fleets off Beachy-head-§ XXXIII. Torrington committed

prisoner to the Tower-§ XXXIV. Progress of William in Ireland§ XXXV. He invests Limerick; but is obliged to raise the siege, and returns to England—§ XXXVI. Cork and Kinsale reduced by the earl of Marlborough-§ XXXVII. Lauzun and the French forces quit Ireland-§ XXXVIII. The duke of Savoy joins the confederacy— § XXXIX. Prince Waldeck defeated at Fleurus-§ XL. The archduke Joseph elected king of the Romans. Death of the duke of Lorraine. Progress of the war against the Turks-§ XLI. Meeting of the parliament-§ XLII. The commons comply with all the king's demands-§ XLIII. Petition of the tories in the city of London§ XLIV. Attempt against the marquis of Caermarthen-§ XLV. The king's voyage to Holland-§ XLVI. He assists at a congress. Returns to England.

§ I. THOUGH the affairs of Ireland were extremely pressing, and the Protestants of that country had made repeated applications for relief, the succours were retarded either by the disputes among the ministers, or the neglect of those who had the management of the expedition, in such a manner, that king James had been six months in Ireland before the army was embarked for that kingdom. At length eighteen regiments of infantry, and five of dragoons, being raised for that service, a train of artillery provided, and transports prepared, the duke of Schomberg, on whom king William had conferred the chief command of this armament, set out for Chester, after he had in person thanked the commons for the uncommon regard they had paid to his services, and received assurances from the house, that they would pay particular attention to him and his army. On the 13th day of August he landed in the neighbourhood of Carricfergus with about ten thousand foot and dragoons, and took possession of Belfast, from whence the enemy retired on his approach to Carricfergus, where they resolved to make a stand. The duke having refreshed his men, marched thither, and invested the place; the seige was carried on till the 26th day of the month, when the breaches being practicable, the beseiged capitulated, on condition of marching out with their arms, and as much baggage as they could carry on their backs; and of their being conducted to the next Irish garrison,

which was at Newry. During this siege the duke was joined by the rest of his army from England; but he had left orders for conveying the greater part of the artillery and stores from Chester directly to Carlingford. He now began his march through Lisburne and Hillsborough, and encamped at Drummore, where the Protestants of the north had been lately routed by Hamilton; thence he proceeded to Loughbrillane, where he was joined by the horse and dragoons of Inniskilling. Then the enemy abandoned Newry and Dundalk, in the neighbourhood of which Schomberg encamped on a low, damp ground, having the town and river on the south, and surrounded on every part by hills, bogs, and mountains.

§ II. His army, consisting chiefly of new-raised men, little inured to hardship, began to flag under the fatigue of marching, the inclemency of the weather, and scarcity of provision. Here he was reinforced by the regiments of Kirke, Hanmer, and Stuart; and would have continued his march to Drogheda, where he understood Rosene lay with about twenty thousand men, had he not been obliged to wait for the artillery, which was not yet arrived at Carlingford. King James having assembled all his forces, advanced towards Schomberg, and appeared before his intrenchments in order of battle; but the duke, knowing they were greatly superior in number of horse, and that his own army was undisciplined, and weakened by death and sickness, restrained his men within the lines, and in a little time the enemy retreated. Immediately after their departure, a conspiracy was discovered in the English camp, hatched by some French Papists, who had insinuated themselves into the Protestant regiments. One of these, whose name was Du Plessis, had written a letter to the ambassador, d'Avaux, promising to desert with all the Papists of the three French regiments in Schomberg's army. This letter being found, Du Plessis and five

accomplices were tried by a court-martial, and executed. About two hundred and fifty Papists being discovered in the French regiments, they were sent over to England, from thence to Holland. While Schomberg remained in this situation, the Inniskilliners made excursions in the neighbourhood, under the command of colonel Lloyd; and on the 27th day of September, they obtained a complete victory over five times their number of the Irish. They killed seven hundred on the spot, and took O'Kelly their commander, with about fifty officers, and a considerable booty of cattle. The duke was so pleased with their conduct on this occasion, that they received a very honourable testimony of his approbation.

§ III. Meanwhile, the enemy took possession of James Town, and reduced Sligo, one of the forts of which was gallantly defended by St. Sauver, a French captain, and his company of grenadiers, until he was obliged to capitulate for want of water and provision. A contagious distemper still continued to rage in Schomberg's camp, and swept off a great number of officers and soldiers; so that, in the beginning of next spring, not above half the number of those who went over with the general remained alive. He was censured for his inactivity, and the king, in repeated letters, desired him to hazard an engagement, provided any opportunity should occur; but he did not think proper to run the risk of a battle, against an enemy that was above thrice his number, well disciplined, healthy, and conducted by able officers. Nevertheless, he was certainly blamable for having chosen such an unwholesome situation. At the approach of winter he retired into quarters, in hopes of being reinforced with seven thousand Danes, who had already arrived in Britain. These auxiliaries were stipulated in a treaty which William had just concluded with the king of Denmark. The English were not more successful at sea than they had proved in their