E N G 
detained the Englifn fleet in the river; fo that the Dutch 
parted the (freights of Dover without moleftation. Thus, 
after a voyage of two days, the prince landed his army 
at Torbay, on the fifth of November, 16S8, the anniver- 
■lqry of the gunpowder-plot. 
But though the invitation from the Englirti was very 
general, the prince for fome time had the mortification 
to find himfelf joined by very few. He marched firft to 
Exeter, where the country people had been fo lately ter¬ 
rified with the executions which had enfued on Mon¬ 
mouth’s rebellion, that they continued to obferve a drift 
neutrality. But flight repulles were not able to intimi¬ 
date a general who had, from his early youth, been taught 
to encounter difficulties. The firft perfon who joined the 
prince was major Burlington, and he was quickly fol¬ 
lowed by the principal people of the counties of Devon 
and Somerfet. Sir Edward Seymour made propofals for 
an artociation, which every one figned. By degrees the 
earl of Abingdon, Mr. Rurtel, fon to the earl of Bedford, 
Mr. Wharto.n, Godfrey, Howe, all came to Exeter. Eng¬ 
land was in commotion. Lord Delamere took up arms 
in Chefltire ; the earl of Danby feized York; the earl of 
Bath, governor of Plymouth, declared for the prince; 
the earl of Devonfliire made a like declaration in Derby; 
the nobility of Nottingham embraced the fame caufe ; 
and every day gave newjtrength to that univerfal combi, 
nation into which the nation had entered again!! the mea- 
lures of the king. 
But the moft dangerous fyrtem was the difaffeCtion of 
the army, which feemed univerfally tinCtured with the 
fpirit of the times. Lord Colchefter, fon of ihe earl of 
Rivers, was the firfl officer who deferted to the prince. 
Lora Lovelace was taken in the like attempt by the militia, 
under the duke ot Beaufort. Lord Cornbury, fon to the 
earl of Clarendon, carried off the greateff part of three 
regiments of cavalry to the prince. Several officers of 
diitinction informed Fever dram, the general, that they 
could not in confidence fight againff the prince of Orange. 
The defection of the officers was followed by that of the 
Icing’s o\yn fervants and creatures. Lord Churchill had 
by.en, railed from the rank of a page, and had been in¬ 
verted with a high command in the army ; had been cre¬ 
ated 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 Berkeley, and fome others. 
In this'general defection the unfortunate James, not 
knowing where to turn-, nor on whom to rely, be^an to 
think of requefting artiftance from France, when ft was 
too late. He wrote to Leopold, emperor of Germany, 
but in vain. That monarch only returned for anfvver,' 
that what he had forefeen, had happened. James had 
fome dependence on his fleet ; but they were entirely dif- 
affeCted. In a word, his interefts were deferted by all ; 
for he had long deferted them himfelf. James, however, 
marched to Salifbury, at the head of twenty thoufand 
men. It is poffible that, had he led thefe to the combat, 
without granting them time for deliberation, they might 
have fought in his favour, and fecured him on the throne. 
But lie was involved in amaze of fears and fufpicions ; 
the defection of thole he moft confided in took away his 
confidence in all, and deprived him even of the power of 
fortitude or courage. It was no fmall Addition to his 
prefent diftrefs, that the prince of Denmark, and Anne, 
Ijis favourite daughter, perceiving the defperation of his 
circuna(lances, refolved to leave him, and take part with 
the prevailing fide. When he was told that the prince 
qnd -princeIs had followed the reft of his favourites, he 
was. flung with the moft bitter anguilh : “ God help me, 
(cried he, in the extremity of his feelings;) my own chil¬ 
dren have forfaken me !” In this perplexity he embraced 
a fuddeq refolutioo of drawing off his army, and retiring 
to London ; a meafure vy.hich could only lerve to betray 
.his fears, and encourage further defection. He now af- 
fembled the few noblemen who adhered to his intereft, 
LAND. • 6§5 
formed a council, and demanded the advice of thofe lie 
moft confided in. Addrerting himfelf to the earl of Bed¬ 
ford, father to lord Rurtel, who had been executed in the 
former reign by the intrigues of James, “ My lord, (laid 
the king,) you are an lioneft man, and can do me fignal 
fervice.”—“ Ah, fir! (replied the earl,) Urn old and 
feeble ; I can do you but little fervice. I had indeed a 
fon !” Janies was fo ftruck with this reply, that he could 
not fpeak for fome minutes. The king’s fortune now ex- 
pofed him to the contempt of his enemies ; and his be¬ 
haviour was fuch as could not procure him the efteem of 
his adherents. He was naturally timid : and fome coun- 
fellors about him, either (baring his fears, or fecretly at¬ 
tached to the prince, contributed to increafe hisappre- 
henfions. They reminded him of the fate of his father, 
and aggravated the turbulence and inconftancy of the 
people. They at length perfuaded him to fly from a 
nation he could no longer govern, and leek for refuge at 
the court of France, where he was fure of artiftance and 
protection. 
The prince of Orange was no lefs defirousof the king’s 
retiring to France than his moft zealous counfellors could 
be. He was therefore determined to ufe every expedient 
to intimidate James, and drive him out of the kingdom. 
He declined a perfonal conference with the king’s com- 
miftioners, but fent the earls of Clarendon and Oxford 
to treat with them. The terms which he propofed im¬ 
plied almoft a prefent participation of the fovereignty ; 
and to urge his meafures, he (topped not a moment in 
his march towards London. The king, alarmed every 
day more and more with the profpeCt of a general difaf¬ 
feCtion, was refolved to hearken to thofe who advifed his 
quitting the kingdom. To prepare for this he firft fent 
away the queen, who arrived fafely at Calais, under the 
conduft of count Lauzun. He himfelf difappeared in the 
night, attended only by fir Edward Hales ; and, difguifing 
himfelf in a plain drefs, went down to Feverrtiatn, where 
he embarked on-board a fmall velfel for France. But bis 
misfortunes feemed to purfiie him. The veffel in which 
he had embarked was detained by the populace, who not 
knowing the perfon of the king, robbed, infulted, and 
abufed him. He was now perfuaded by'the earl of Win- 
chelfea to return to London ; where the mob, moved by 
bis diftrefles, and guided by their natural levity, received 
him, contrary to his expectations, with (bouts and accla¬ 
mations. 
Nothing could more completely difconcert the prince 
of Orange, than to hear that James was brought back 
triumphantly to his capital. He had before taken mea- 
fures to feize upon that authority which the king’s dere¬ 
liction had put into his hands. 'Lite bifhops and peers, 
who were now the only authorifed magiftrates in the (late, 
gave directions, in the prefent dirtolution of government, 
for keeping the peace of the city. They iffued- orders, 
which were readily obeyed, to the fleet, tlie garrifons, 
and the army. They made applications to the prince, 
whole enterprife they highly applauded, and whole fuc- 
cefs they joyfully congratulated. It was not, therefore, 
without extreme mortification, that he found the king re¬ 
turned to embarrafs his profpeCfs. The prince of Orange, 
however, determined to diffemble, and received the news 
of his return with a haughty air. His aim from tiie be¬ 
ginning was to pufb him by threats and feverities to re- 
ljnquifh the throne; and his proceedings manifefted the 
refined politician. The king having fent lord Feverfham 
on a civil meffage to the prince, deliring a conference pre¬ 
vious to the fettlement of the throne, that nobleman was 
put under an arreft, on pretence of his wanting a paffport. 
The Dutch guards were ordered to take poffeftion of 
Whitehall, where the king then lodged, and to difplace 
the Englilb. The king was foon after commanded by a 
meffage, which he received in bed at midnight, to leave 
his palace next morning, and to depart for Ham, a feat 
of the duchefs of Lauderdale’s. He defired permiflion to 
retire to Rochefter, a town not far from the fea-coaft, 
i and 
