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BOOK out any regard to the obligations of religion and humanity, or even to the laws of war; of having countenanced the most barbarous acts of cruelty and oppreffion; and of having intrigued with the enemies of Chrift for the deftruction of the empire. The Emperor negociated an alliance offenfive and defenfive with the States-General, binding the contracting parties to co-operate with their whole power against France and her allies. It was ftipulated, that neither fide fhould engage in a feparate treaty, on any pretence whatfoever; that no peace fhould be admitted, until the treaties of Weftphalia, Ofnabruck, Munfter, and the Pyrenees, fhould have been vindicated: that, in cafe of a negociation for a peace or truce, the tranfactions on both fides should De communicated bona fide: and that Spain and England fhould be invited to accede to the treaty. In a feparate article, the contracting powers agreed, that in cafe of the Spanish King's dying without iffue, the States-General fhould affift the Emperor with all their forces to take poffeffion of that monarchy: That they fhould ufe their friendly endeavours with the Princes Electors, their allies, towards elevating his fon Jofeph to the dignity of King of the Romans; and employ their utmost force against France, should she attempt to oppose his elevation.

§ XVI. William, who was the foul of this confederacy, found no difficulty in perfuading the Englifh to undertake a war against their old enemies and rivals. On the fixteenth day of April, Mr. Hambden made a motion for taking into confideration the ftate of the kingdom with refpect to France, and foreign alliances; and the Commons unanimoufly refolved, that, in cafe his Majefty fhould think fit to engage in a war with France, they would, in a parliamentary way, enable him to carry it on with vigour. An addrefs was immediately drawn up, and presented to the King, defiring he would seriously confider the deftructive methods taken of late years

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by the French King against the trade, quiet, and in- CHAP. tereft of the nation, particularly his prefent invafion of Ireland, and fupporting the rebels in that king- 1689. dom. They did not doubt but the alliances already made, and those that might hereafter be concluded. by his Majesty, would be fufficient to reduce the French King to fuch a condition, that it fhould not be in his power to violate the peace of Chriftendom; nor prejudice the trade and profperity of England; in the mean time they affured his Majefty he might depend upon the affiftance of his Parliament, according to the vote which had paffed in the House of Commons. This was a welcome addrefs to King William. He affured them, that no part of the fupplies which they might grant for the profecution of the war fhould be mifapplied; and, on the feventh day of May, he declared war against the French Monarch. On this occafion, Louis was charged with having ambitioufly invaded the territories of the Emperor, and denounced war against the allies of England, in violation of the treaties confirmed under the guarantee of the English crown; with having encroached upon the fishery of Newfoundland, invaded the Caribbee iflands, taken forcible poffeffion of New-York and Hudfon's-bay, made depredations on the English at fea, prohibited the importation of English manufactures, difputed the right of the flag, perfecuted many English fubjects on account of religion, contrary to exprefs treaties and the law of nations, and fent an armament to Ireland, in fupport of the rebels of that kingdom.

XVII. Having thus defcribed the progrefs of the Revolution in England, we fhall now briefly explain the measures that were profecuted in Scotland, towards the establishment of William on the throne of that kingdom. The meeting of the Scottifh Convention was fixed for the fourteenth day of March; and both parties employed all their intereft to influence the election of members. The Duke

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BOOK of Hamilton, and all the Prefbyterians, declared for William. The Duke of Gordon maintained the caftle of Edinburgh for his old mafter: but, as he had neglected to lay in a ftore of provifions, he depended entirely upon the citizens for fubfiftence. The partifans of James were headed by the Earl of Balcarras, and Graham Viscount Dundee, who employed their endeavours to preferve union among the individuals of their party; to confirm the Duke of Gordon, who began to waver in his attachment to their Sovereign; and to manage their intrigues in fuch a manner as to derive fome advantage to their canfe from the transactions of the enfuing feffion. When the Lords and Commons affembled at Edinburgh, the Bishop of that diocefe, who officiated as chaplain to the convention, prayed for the reftoration of King James. The first difpute turned upon the choice of a prefident. The friends of the late King fet up the Marquis of Athol in oppofition to the Duke of. Hamilton; but this laft was elected by a confiderable majority; and a good number of the other party, finding their cause the weakeft, deferted it from that moment. The Earls of Lothian and Tweedale were fent as deputies, to require the Duke of Gordon, in the name of the Eftates, to quit the cafile in four-and-twenty hours, and leave the charge of it to the proteftant officer next in command. The Duke, though in himfelf irrefolute, was animated by Dundee to demand fuch conditions as the Convention would not grant. The negociation proving ineffectual, the States ordered the heralds, in all their formalities, to fummon him to furrender the caftle immediately, on pain of incurring the penalties of high treafon; and he refufing to obey their mandate, was proclaimed a traitor. All perfons were forbid, under the fame penalties, to aid, fuccour, or correfpond with him; and the castle was blocked up with the troops of the city.

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XVIII. Next day an exprefs arrived from Lon- CHAP. don, with a letter from King William to the Eftates; and, at the fame time, another from James was pre- 1689. fented by one Crane, an English domeftick of the abdicated Queen. William obferved, that he had called a meeting of their Eftates at the defire of the nobility and gentry of Scotland affembled at London, who requested that he would take upon himself the adminiftration of their affairs. He exhorted them to concert measures for fettling the peace of the kingdom upon a folid foundation; and to lay afide animofities and factions, which ferved only to impede that falutary fettlement. He profeffed himfelf fenfible of the good effects that would arife from an union of the two kingdoms; and affured them he would use his beft endeavours to promote fuch a coalition. A committee being appointed to draw up a refpectful answer to thefe affurances, a debate enfued about the letter from the late King James. This they refolved to favour with a reading, after the members fhould have fubfcribed an act, declaring, that notwithstanding any thing that might be contained in the letter for diffolving the Convention, or impeding their procedure, they were a free and lawful meeting of the States; and would continue undif folved, until they fhould have fettled and fecured the Proteftant religion, the government, laws, and liberties of the kingdom. Having taken this precaution, they proceeded to examine the letter of the late Sovereign, who conjured them to fupport his intereft as faithful fubjects, and eternize their natnes by a loyalty fuitable to their former profeffions. He faid he would not fail to give them fuch speedy and powerful affistance as would enable them to defend themselves from any foreign atteinpt; and even to affert his right against thofe enemies who had depreffed it by the blackeft ufurpations and unnatural attempts, which the Almighty God would not allow

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BOOK to pass unpunished. He offered pardon to all thofe who fhould return to their duty before the last day of the month; and threatened to punish rigorously such as should stand out in rebellion against him and his authority.

1689.

§ XIX. This addrefs produced very little effect in favour of the unfortunate exile, whose friends were greatly out-numbered in this affembly. His meffenger was ordered into cuftody, and afterwards dif miffed with a pafs inftead of an answer. James, foreseeing this contempt, had, by an inftrument dated in Ireland, authorised the Archbishop of Glasgow, the Earl of Balcarras, and the Viscount Dundee, to call a convention of the Estates at Stirling. These three depended on the intereft of the Marquis of Athol and the Earl of Mar, who profeffed the warmest affection for the late King; and they hoped a feceffion of their friends would embarrass the Convention, so as to retard the settlement of King William. Their expectations, however, were disappointed. Athol deferted their caufe; and Mar fuffered himself to be intercepted in his retreat. The reft of their party were, by the vigilance of the Duke of Hamilton, prevented from leaving the Convention, except the Viscount Dundee, who retreated to the mountains with about fifty horfe, and was purfued by order of the Eftates. This defign being fruftrated, the Convention approved and recognised, by a folemn act, the conduct of the nobility and gentlemen who had intreated the King of England to take upon him the administration. They acknowledged their obligation to the Prince of Orange, who had prevented the deftruction of their laws, religion, and fundamental conftitution; they befought his Highness to affume the reigns of government for that kingdom: they iffued a proclamation, requiring all perfons, from fixteen to fixty, to be in readinefs to take arms when called upon for that purpose:

they