BOOK I.

after day-break, however, they made good their 1691. landing landing on the island of Goree, and about six in the evening arrived at the Hague; where he was received with transports of joy, and immediately complimented by the States General, thestates of Holland, the council of state, the other colleges, and the foreign ministers. On the 26th he made his public entry by desire of the magistratesseveral triumphal arches having been erected to represent his achievements, and all the burghers appearing in arms with unusual magnificence., In the evening, fireworks were exhibited, and the cannon fired on the Viverborg opposite his palace, and bonfires lighted through the whole town. Two days after, the king went to the assembly of the States General, and addressed them in an affectionate speech, in which he reminded them, "that the last time he was with them he had declared his intention of going over to England, to deliver that kingdom from the evils with which it was threatened-That God had so blessed his just intentions, that he had met with success, even beyond his hopes-That the English having offered him the crown, he had accepted it, as GOD was his witness, not out of ambition, but solely to preserve the religion and laws of the three kingdoms; and to be able to assist his allies, and especially the United Provinces, against the power of France-That he could have wished

to have aided them sooner, but was prevented by BOOK L the affairs of Ireland; which being now in a 1691. better condition, he was come to concert measures with the allies, and to exercise the functions of stadtholder." The rest of his speech consisted of expressions of his zeal and affection for the republic. He was answered with the respect and acknowledgment due to a prince who was looked upon as the father of his country, the deliverer of Europe, the preserver of the protestant religion, and the soul of the grand alliance.

Congress at

After this, was opened the most extraordinary Memorable and splendid congress of princes and ministers the Hague. which Europe had ever known. Of those who attended in person, exclusive of the king of Great Britain, were the electors of Brandenburg and Bavaria; the dukes of Wirtemberg, Holstein, Brunswick, and Zell; the landgraves of HesseCassel and Darmstadt; the princes of Anhalt, &c. &c. The ambassadors present were those from the emperor, the kings of Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Poland; the electors of Saxony, Treves, Mentz, Cologne, and the elector palatine; the dukes of Savoy and Hanover; the bishops of Munster, Liege, &c. &c. To this illustrious assembly his Britannic majesty addressed himself in an eloquent and pathetic speech, representing to them" the imminent dangers to which they were exposed from the power and

BOOKI ambition of France. In the circumstances they 1691. were in," he said, "it was not indeed a time to

deliberate so much as to act. Every one ought to be persuaded, that their respective and particular interests were comprised in the general one. If not opposed with united vigor, the enemy would like a torrent carry every thing before them. Against such power and such injustice it was in vain to oppose complaints or clamors, or unprofitable protestations. Nothing but the force of superior armies could put a stop to his conquests, or rescue Europe from the impending ruin. As to himself, he would neither spare his forces, credit, nor person, in so just and necessary a design. And he proposed to appear, in the spring, himself at the head of the army of the allies, and they might depend upon his royal word for the strict performance of his engagement.'

Actuated by the same spirit, and animated by the example of their head, the assembly came, without delay or hesitation, to the most vigorous resolutions and it was agreed to employ in the ensuing campaign 222,000 men against France, of which aggregate number each state was to furnish its specific and equitable proportion. The congress broke up early in March; and it is remarked by historians, that no disputes relative to precedency, or any perplexing etiquette of state,

só common in assemblies of this nature, impeded their deliberations. In the presence of the king of England, whose character was marked by simplicity, who was above all ostentation, and whose dignity descended not to call in the assistance of pride to its support, those frivolous and minute distinctions which appear in the eyes of the vulgar of all ranks so important, shrunk into their native nothingness.

BOOK I

1691.

against the

ment

The king, after passing some weeks at his favorite residence at Loo, embarked for England, and arrived safely at Whitehall on the 13th of April (1691). The chief event which occurred Conspiracy during the absence of the king, was the discovery Governof a conspiracy against the government, ill-concerted indeed, and imperfectly digested. Notice being given to lord Carmarthen, about the end of December, by the owner of a vessel at Barking in Essex, that it was taken up to carry some unknown persons to France, it was so contrived that it should be boarded under the pretext of searching for seamen the moment she fell down to Gravesend; when three passengers were found in the hold, who proved to be lord Preston, secretary of state to king James; Ashton, who had occupied a place in the household of the late queen; and one Elliot. Certain papers which Ashton attempted to throw into the sea were also secured, and lord Preston's seal of office.

BOOK I. Upon examining the papers, they were found of 1091. a very miscellaneous nature. The most remark

able of them was styled "The Result of a Conference between some Lords and Gentlemen, both Tories and Whigs, respecting the Restoration of King James,"-though, as the paper adds, "without endangering the protestant religion and civil administration according to the laws of this kingdom.". For such was the rage of faction, as to prevent their discerning the utter incompatibility of these things; and even to cast a veil over the deep moral and political guilt of endeavouring, from motives of personal animosity, interest, or caprice, to subvert a government lawfully established. The counter-revolution in view being however professedly founded on whig principles, and designed to be carried into effect by the instrumentality chiefly of the whig party, this strange paper was drawn up in a high strain of liberty, such as would have given probably at the court of St. Germaine's nearly as much offence as the most hostile manifesto. "The natural wealth and power of these kingdoms being," as it is expressed, "in the hands of the protestants, the king may think of nothing short of a protestant administration, nor of nothing more for the catholics than a legal liberty of conscience -He may reign a catholic in devotion, but he must reign a protestant in government--He must