The prince of Orange, James's nephew, had not been an impassive spectator of these events in England ; but with his characteristic prudence, he forbore to inter meddle in the affairs of England, until the king's own misconduct, and the application of the English them selves, justified his interference. The king, conscious of the respect which attended William's name in Eng land, solicited him to declare in favour of his dispensing with the penal acts ; and threw out hopes to the prince, of his being seconded by the English arms in the league which he was forming against France. But William. justly distrusting his sincerity, and aware of the decided sentiments of the English on the subject of the tests, wisely refused to concur in his uncle's unpopular mea sures ; and James's hints at a coalition with Holland. were speedily changed into warlike preparations, which menaced the republic. The prince was now assiduous in cherishing that spirit among the English, which led them to look for himself as their only and certain deli verer. Lord Dumblane, son of the earl of Danby, be ing commander of a frigate, made several voyages to Holland, and carried out tenders of duty. and even sums of money from many of the chief nobility ; and Zuy lestein, the Dutch envoy, brought him over the positive invitation, not only of the chief Whig leaders, but of the Tories also, to come and assist them with his arms for the recovery of their laws and liberties. The bishop of London, the earls of Danby, Nottingham, Devon shire, Dorset, the duke of Norfolk, the earl of Shrews Lury, these we e some of the conspicuous persons who consented to bury their party feelings in his cause. and to devote their fortunes to his success. Even Sunderland, the king's favourite minister, privately promoted the cause at the expence of his personal honour. When William's preparations by land and sea, which had been dextrously made for pretended objects, so as to cover his designs on England, could no longer be concealed, James was warned by the king of France of the impend ing invasion, and an offer of troops was made to him by the French monarch to assist in repelling it. But James would not accept the offer : he trusted to filling the army with Irish Catholics, a measure which the resistance of the co.onel and officers' of the first regiment on which he tried the experiment, and the mutinous aspect of the whole army, soon sheaved to be impracticable. By his order, the major of Litchfield's regiment drew out the battalion, and required them to promise support to the king in repealing the penal statutes, or to ground their arms. To his astonishment, all but two captains and a few popish soldiers threw down their arms. James ordered them to take them up, adding sullenly, that for the future he would not do them the honour to consult. them. When intelligence at last came from the English minister at the Hague, that the invasion of England was really intended, and avowed by the Dutch government, James, in a panic, tried to avert the wrath of his people, by restoring the charters which had been annihilated, annulling the court of ecclesiastical commission, and other acts ; but as he revoked thoso concessions on the first news of a disaster having befallen the Dutch fleet, his sincerity was as much distrusted as his timidity was de-pised.
On the 21st of October, the prince set sail from Ilelvoetsluys, with nearly 500 vessels, and an army of 1 4,000 men. He first encountered a stot m, which drove him back ; but his loss heing soon repaired, the fleet put to sea again under the English admiral Herbert, and on the second morning after it sailed, was discovered stretching towards the channel, With all the sail it could spread. The same wind detained the king's fleet near Harwich, and enabled the Dutch to pass the straits of Dover without opposition. Both shores were covered with multitudes of people, who, besides admiring the grandeur of the spectacle, were held in suspence by the awful importance of the enterprize. On the 5th or No vember, the anniversary of the gun-powder plot, the prince concluded his voyage, and landed his army in Torbay.
The Dutch army marched first to Exeter ; but gene ral as the invitation of the English had been, several days elapsed before they resorted to the standard of their deliverer. Sir Edward Seymour first made pro
posals for an association, which was universally signed. By degrees. the earl of Abingdon, Mr Russel, son of the earl of Bedford, and other gentlemen of distinction, came to Exeter ; lord Delamere took arms in Cheshire ; the earl of Danby seized York ; the earl or Bath, go ys of Plymouth, declared for the prince ; the earl of Devonshire made a like declaration in Derby. The desertion of the army quickly followed. Lord Colchester was the first officer that went over; lord Cornbury suc ceeded in an attempt to bring over some troops of ca valry; lord Churchill, who had a high command, re sorted to the prevailing party, and carried with him the duke of Grafton, natural son to the late king.
The falling monarch applied to Leopold, emperor of Germany, but received no favourable answer. His fleet was disaffected ; and though he had yet an army of more than 20,000 men, he dreaded leading them to battle. Ile joined this army at Salisbury, and semet1 for a mo ment resolved to live or die a king; but arthe end of six days, he returned to London, and a skirMish having taken place between the two armies, a report that those of James's being entirely defeated, accelerated the de claration of many in favour of William. The desertion of prince George of Denmark, and of his daughter the princess Anne., who being under the influence of lord Churchill, were persuaded to join the prince of Orange, struck down the tottering remains of his fortitude. In despair, he called a council of all the peers and prelates who were in London, and followed their advice in issu ing writs for a new parliament, and in sending Halilax. Nottingham, and Godolphin, as commissioners to treat with the prince of Orange. In passing to the council, he asked the father of lord Russel (v) hose pardon he bad prevailed upon Charles to refuse), for his advice and assistance. "I had once a son," said the venerable earl of Bedford, " who could have served your majesty on this occasion." James was struck speechless at the reply. Though the prince knew that these commis sioners in his own interest, he refused to give a satisfactory answer. Meanwhile, the insurrection spread over England, and every clay sonic, important accession was made to the popular cause. And as the contagion reached Scotland, the Papists and violent royalists in that kingdom fled or concealed themselves, and the Scottish privy council addressed themselves to William.
James's terrors now rose for his personal safety ; and still more so, as the queen, alarmed at the general hatred which her religion inspired, and at the danger of a par liamentary impeachment, fled with her infant son to Gravesend, where a yacht conveyed her to Calais. The king, if he could be supposed, under the influence of such terrors, to cherish either hopes or designs, ima gined he might throw the kingdom into anarchy by his flight. He threw the great seal into the river, and about 12 at night on the 10th of December, took a boat at Whitehall and crossed the river in disguise. He was attended only by sir Edward Hales, and two servants, and continuing his journey all night, arrived in the morning at Feversham. Near that place he was seized by some fishermen, who imagined his party were Po pish) priests flying from the country ; and amidst the insults of the populace, was brought back to Fever sham. At the inn of the village he was seen by a sea man who had served under him, and who melted into tears when he recognized him. The seamen of the place immediately formed a guard for his protection ; but he was removed from their hands by the officers of the militia, by whom he was treated with less respect. The confusion which arose after the king's flight be came known, was violent, but short, and was rather distinguished by terror than by outrage. All was calm ed, however, by the bishops and peers assuming the reins of government. They chose the marquis of Ilali fax president of their council, issued orders to the fleet and army, and applied to the prince of Orange as to their expected sovereign, who was now on his march to London.