longer delay'd, than it must be by the ufual and neceffary December.

Hungerford, the 8th

of December, 1688.

To this his Royal Highness the Prince of Orange return'd this Anfwer.

TE, with the Advice of the Lords and Gentlemen affembled with Us, have in Anfwer made thefe following Proposals.

I. That all Papifts, and fuch Perfons as are not qualified by Law, be Difarmed, Disbanded, and removed from all • Employments Civil and Military.

II. That all Proclamations that reflect upon us, or at any that have come to Us, or declared for Us, be recalled; and that if any Perfons for having affifted Us have been Committed, that they be forthwith fet at Liberty.

III. That for the Security and Safety of the City of London, the Cuftody and Government of the Tower be immediately put into the Hands of the faid City.

"

IV. That if His Majefty fhould think fit to be in Lon don, during the tting of the Parliament, that We may be there alfo, with an equal number of our Guards; and if his Majefty fhall be pleafed to be in any place from • London, whatever distance he thinks fit, that We may be the fame diftance, and that the refpective Armies be from London forty Miles, and that no further Forces be brought into the Kingdom.

V. And that for the Security of the City of London, and their Trade, Tilbury Fort be put into the Hands of the City.

I. That a fufficient part of the Publick Revenue be affigned us, for the Support and Maintenance of our Troops, until the Sitting of a Free Parliament.

Desember.

VII. That to prevent the landing of the French, or other 'Foreign Troops, Portsmouth may be put into fuch Hands, as by His Majefty and Us fhall be agreed on.

Tilbury-Fort was then Garifon'd by the Irish, and there were a great many of them and other Papifts in Portsmouth.

This Anfwer was fent to His Majefty on Monday the Tenth of December by an Express; yet he refolved to leave the Town, and ordered all thofe Writs for the Sitting of the Parliament, that were not fent out, to be burnt, and a Caveat to be entred against the making use of those that were fent down. And at the fame time he fent Order to the Earl of Feverfham, to Disband the Army, and Difmifs the Soldiers.

The Letter to the Earl of Feversham was in this Form.

Hings being come to that Extremity, that I have been forced to fend away the Queen, and my Son the Prince of Wales, that they might not fall into the Enemies Hands, 'which they must have done if they had ftay'd: I am obliged to do the fame thing, in hopes it will please God, out of his infinite Mercy to this unhappy Nation, to touch their Hearts again with true Loyalty and Honour. If I 'could have rely'd on all my Troops, I might not have been put to the Extremity I now am in, and would at least 'have had one blow for it. But though I know there are many and brave Men among you, both Officers and Soldiers; yet you know, that both you, and feveral of the General Officers and Soldiers, and Men of the Army, told me, It was no ways advisable for me, to venture my self at their Head, or to think to fight the Prince of Orange "with them.

"And now there remains only for me to thank you, and 'all thofe, both Officers and Soldiers, who have stuck to 'me, and been truly Loyal. I hope you will ftill retain the 'fame Fidelity to me and though I do not expect you 'fhould expofe your felves, by refifting a Foreign Army, and a Poyfon'd Nation; yet I hope your former Principles

are

are fo inrooted in you, that you will keep your felves free December. from Affociations, and fuch pernicious things. Time preffeth fo that I can add no more.

James Rex.

The Earl of Feverfham, prefently after the receit of this Letter, Disbanded Four thoufand Men, which was all the Army he had then with him, and under his Command, after which he fent this Letter to the Prince of Orange.

SIR,

HA

Aving received this Morning a Letter from His Ma jefty, with the unfortunate News of his Refolution to go out of England; I thought my felf obliged, being at the Head of his Army, and having received his Orders, to make no Oppofition against any body, to let your High'nefs know it, with the Advice of the Officers here, fo foon as was poffible, to hinder the effufion of Blood. I have ordered already, to that purpose, all the Troops that are under my Command, which fhall be the laft Order they fhall receive from

Feversham.

This was to all intents and purposes a clear and full Abdication or Defertion of the Army, and put them under an inevitable neceffity of fubmitting to the Prince of Orange, they having no body to Lead or Head them against him. And it is not conceivable how they could keep themselves from entring into an Affociation, or Oath of Allegiance to the Prince, now he was gone, without expofing themselves, by refifting a Foreign Army, and a Poyfen'd Nation. For neither could the Nation long continue without a Prince, nor would any Person that fucceeded in that Capacity, have ever fuffered them to live within his Government, without giving him Security by Oath, for their Submiffion and Loyalcy to him: So that the whole defign of this Letter feems to be the Sowing a Divifion in the Nation; that at the fame time he left us, we might not unite or fettle our felves under

the..

December. the other, but by our Principles be divided, that fo he might the more eafily reduce us again into the State we were in, when the Prince firft defigned his Expedition against England,

This being done, about Three of the Clock in the morning, December the 11th. the King went down the River in a fmall Boat, towards Gravefend: The principal Officers of the Army about the Town thereupon met about Ten of the Clock at whitehall, and fent an Express to the Prince of Orange, to acquaint him with the Departure of the King, and to affure him, that they would affift the Lord Mayor, to keep the City quiet till his Highness came, and made the Souldiery to enter into his Service.

Much about the fame time, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal about the Town came to Guildhall, and fending for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, made the following Declaration.

The Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal as in and about the Cities of London and Weftminfter, Assembled at Guild-Hall the 11th. of December, 1688.

WE

E doubt not but the World believes, that in this great and dangerous Conjuncture we are heartily and zealoufly concerned for the Proteftant Religion, the Laws of the Land, and the Liberties and Properties of the Subject. And we did reasonably hope, that the King having iffued out his Proclamation and Writs for a Free Parliament, we might have refted fecure under the expectation of that Meeting But His Majefty having withdrawn himself, and, as we apprehend, in order to his departure out of this Kingdom, by the pernicious Counfels of Perfons ill affected to our Nation and Religion, we cannot, without being wanting to our Duty, be filent under those Calamities, wherein the Popish Counfels which fo long prevailed, have miferably involved thefe Realms. We do therefore unanimoufly refolve to apply our felves to his Highness the Prince of Orange, who with fo great

'Kind

Kindness to thefe Kingdoms, fo vaft Expence, and fo December. much Hazard, hath undertaken, by endeavouring to pro'cure a Free Parliament, to refcue us (with as little effu-. 'fion of Chriftian Blood as poffible) from the imminent 'Dangers of Popery and Slavery.

'And we do hereby declare, That we will with our utmost Endeavours affift his Highness, in the obtaining fuch a Parliament with all fpeed, wherein our Laws, our Liberties and Properties may be fecured, the Church of "England in particular, with a due Liberty to Proteftant Diffenters, and in general the Proteftant Religion and Intereft, over the whole World, may be fupported and encouraged, to the Glory of GOD, the Happiness of the Eftablished Government in thefe Kingdoms, and the Advantage of all Princes and States in Christendom, that may 'be herein concerned.

In the mean time we will endeavour to preferve, as much as in us lies, the Peace and Security of these great and populous Cities of London and Westminster, and the parts adjacent, by taking care to difarm all Papifts, and fecure all Jefuits and Romifh Priefts, who are in or about 'the fame.

And if there be any thing more to be performed by Us, for promoting his Highnefs's Generous Intentions for the Publick Good, we fhall be ready to do it as occafi Son requires.