Memoirs of the Court of England: From the Revolution in 1688 to the Death of ... - John Heneage Jesse - Google Knihy

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liam and Mary in 1677.- Defeat of the French at St. Denis.

-The States agree to a treaty of peace with Louis the Four-

teenth, to the great vexation of William. - Renewal of hostili-

ties, and final treaty at Ratisbon. - Invitation to William to

invade England. By whom signed.- Opposition of interests

and religion between William and James the Second. Wil-

liam's vigorous but secret preparations for the invasion of

England. - Louis the Fourteenth penetrates his designs and

writes to James the Second on the subject. The latter's

shock on receiving the intelligence. - Confidence of the Dutch

in William. — Anecdote of a Dutch Jew of Amsterdam. —

William obtains a loan from the Pope. Anxiety of the citi-

zens of London respecting the invasion. William's farewell

address to the States.
Page 33

Embarkation of William and his troops at Helvoetsluys. -

Dispersion of the fleet by a storm.-Ships refitted, and William

again sets sail for England. - Arrival of the fleet at Torbay.

-William lands on the anniversary of the Gunpowder-Plot.

Anecdote from Burnet. - March of the Dutch troops to

Exeter. William enters that city at the head of a mag-

nificent procession. Coldly received by the people, and

greatly disheartened. Sir Edward Seymour, the Earl of

Abingdon, and other influential personages join his stand-

ard. Movement in favour of William gradually spreads. -

Joined by Lord Cornbury, son of Hyde, Earl of Claren-

don. The father's anguish on the occasion, and subse-

quent flight to the invader.- Lord Churchill, afterwards

the great Duke of Marlborough, joins William. - Anecdote

of Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham. Royal army encamped

at Salisbury. James the Second retires with a portion of

them to London, and is closely followed by William. — Anec-

dote of William. James's secret flight from Whitehall.

Discovered, and brought back to London. Conducted by

a Dutch guard to Rochester, and ultimately embarks for

William takes up his abode in St. James's Palace.-Interest-

ing details respecting the celebrated Lord Craven. Wil-

liam receives the congratulations of the Bishops, and several

official bodies. Anecdote of Mr. Serjeant Maynard.-

"Exeter Association," and refusal of Lord Wharton to sign

it. French Ambassador ordered to quit London. A free

Parliament summoned. - Cautious and phlegmatic conduct of

William. - Parliamentary discussions, and resolution that a

Catholic is virtually incapable of wearing the Crown. - Vote

that the Throne is vacant, carried up to the House of Lords

by the grandson of Hampden. - Differences of opinion in the

Houses of Lords and Commons. William's conduct on this

occasion. - Ultimate decision in favour of his being called to

the Throne. Proclamation of William and Mary as King and

Queen of England. Their coronation in Westminster Abbey.

James the Second lands at Kinsale, in Ireland. En-

thusiastically received in Dublin.-Lays siege to London-

derry. William goes over to Ireland, accompanied by the

Prince of Denmark. Anecdotes of William. — Battle of the

Boyne, and William's narrow escape. Anecdote of General

Hamilton. Death of Marshal Schomberg. - Victories of Wil-

liam in Ireland. Siege of Limerick. William returns to

England. His disappointments. - Dismissal of his Dutch

Guard. His notions of royal prerogative. Anecdote of

William and Lord Rochester.

Character and habits of the Scottish Highlanders. — Lord

Dundee's opposition to William. - Sketch of his character.

Anecdote of Lord Dundee. Battle of Killicrankie, and death

of Dundee. Epitaph on him by Dr. Pitcairn. Flight of the

survivors of his army to France, and their subsequent suffer-

ings. Their daring in battle. They are ultimately disband-
Unsettled state of the Highlands. Lord Breadalbane's

-

proposal to distribute money among the disturbed districts.

Accepted at first by the English Government, but afterwards

declined, at the instigation of his Lordship's enemies. - Cir-

cumstances that led to the massacre of Glencoe. Details of

that massacre. Treachery of Captain Campbell of Glenlyon.

-Extract from Sir Walter Scott's poems. Anecdotes con-

nected with the massacre. Horror excited by it throughout

the kingdom. William's explanation of the affair. - Letters

addressed to him by Lord Tarbet on the subject of the state of

the Highlands discovered after his death. Probability that

William was utterly ignorant of the extent to which it was

proposed to carry on the massacre.

William determines on paying a visit to his native country.

-Leaves Kensington, January 16, 1691.-Embarks at Graves-

end. On nearing the Dutch coast, he quits the ship, and is

exposed for eighteen hours in an open boat. His calmness

in the midst of danger. - Lands at Goree, and proceeds to the

Hague. Magnificent preparations made for his arrival.-

Calamy's description of the public rejoicings. - William ap-

points Von Tromp to the command of the Dutch fleet. His

meeting with the States-General. Anecdote illustrative of

his love of country. He prevails on the States to join the

confederacy against France.-Capture of Namur by the French.

- Lampoon suggested by William's return to England.— Bur-

net's account of his behaviour at the battle of Landen.

Compliment paid to his bravery by the Prince de Condé.

His right to the British throne acknowledged by the French

King. Peace of Ryswick. Addison's Latin poem on the

subject. William's offer to Swift of a captaincy of horse.—

Anecdote related by the Duchess of Marlborough. - William's

ungracious conduct to the English nobility.- Death of the

Queen, in 1694, deeply felt by the King.

The Czar Peter the Great visits England in the year 1698.-

Remains a month in London, and receives many civilities from

William.-Curious anecdote of the Czar's favourite monkey.—

His dislike of crowded assemblies.-Anecdotes illustrative of

this peculiarity in his character. He goes with his ciceroni,

the Marquis of Caermarthen, to the theatre, and takes a fancy to

an actress named Cross, who is afterwards introduced to him.—

Character of this lady.-The Czar's encounter with a porter in

the streets of London. He retires to Say's Court, near Dept-

ford.-Sketch of his mode of life here.-Works as a common

shipwright at Deptford.-His admiration of the British navy,

and of Greenwich Hospital. His drinking-parties in Great

Tower street. - Anecdote illustrative of his prodigious appe-

tite. He quits England, and on parting presents William with

a magnificent ruby valued at ten thousand pounds.-Reduction

of William's standing army by order of the House of Commons.

-His great vexation at this step.-Meditates an abdication of

the Sovereignty.-Imbibes a taste for wine and ardent spirits.

-Anecdotes of his boon companions, Lord Wharton and the

Earl of Pembroke.-Decline in William's health.-His undue

admiration of women. Anecdote of his English chaplain in

Holland.
Page 145

William's continued ill-health.-Anecdotes of the celebrated

physician, Dr. Radcliffe.-William's want of confidence in his

medical attendants. Re-visits Holland in 1701.-Dislocates

his collar-bone by a fall from his horse, while riding in Hamp-

ton Court park. Conveyed to Kensington the same evening.

His conviction of his approaching dissolution. A de-

fluxion is discovered in his knee. Seized with a violent

shivering fit.-Assents to the Oath of Adjuration.-His alarm-

ing condition. Visited by his friend and favourite, the Earl

of Albemarle.-Extraordinary council of physicians summoned.

William expresses his thanks to Dr. Bidloo. Waited on by

the Archbishop of Canterbury.-Receives the Sacrament, and

bids farewell to the Duke of Ormond, and other friends.-In-

quires of Dr. Bidloo how long he has to live. Sends for the

Earl of Portland.-William's death on the 8th of March, 1702.

-Summary of the leading points in his character. Extract

from a poem on his death.- Interred in a vault beneath Henry

the Seventh's chapel at Westminster.
Page 164

MARY, QUEEN OF WILLIAM III.

Mary's birth in 1662.-Eldest daughter of James the Se-

cond, by Anne Hyde, daughter of Lord Clarendon.-Married

to William, Prince of Orange, in 1677.- Anecdote of Mary

related by the Duchess of Orleans.-Curious letter from James

the Second to his son-in-law. - Mary warmly espouses the

cause of her husband.-Displays a total want of sympathy for

her father's sufferings.-Evelyn's account of her behaviour on

her arrival in England. - Severely handled in the lampoons

of the period. — Cutting reproof administered to Mary by

Archbishop Sancroft. Anecdote of her coronation. Her

dislike to hear her father maligned by the courtiers. - Her

affection for her husband. Decency and propriety of her

Court. Horace Walpole's sarcasm against her. Curious

extract from a letter written by the Earl of Nottingham.

Mary's attachment to the Duke of Shrewsbury. - Anecdote

illustrative of Mary's partiality for Shrewsbury. Her affec-

tionate letters to her husband when on his Irish campaign.

Ill-treated by William. His distress on her death attested by

Calamy and Burnet. The latter's account of Mary's last

illness. — Archbishop of Canterbury's funeral sermon.—James

the Second's notice of Mary's death in his Diary. — Memor-

anda found among her papers. Her obsequies performed

with the greatest magnificence. Extract from Pomfret's

Elegy on her Death.

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