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XVI.

THIS profufe liberality of the parliaments of the two kingdoms, and the general, and even abject submiffion of the two nations, gave the king reafon to A. D. 1685. believe that his throne was as firmly established as that of any European monarch. But, while every thing remained in tranquillity at home, a storm was gathering abroad to disturb his repofe; and which, although diffipated without much trouble, may be confidered as a prelude to that great revolution which finally deprived him of his crown, and condemned himself and his posterity to a dependent and fugitive life among foreigners.

THE prince of Orange, ever fince the proposed exclufion of his father-in law, had raised his hopes to the English throne. He had entered deeply into intrigues with the minifters of Charles II. he had encouraged the parliamentary leaders in their violent oppofition; and, unaccountable as it may feem, it appears that he fecretly abetted the ambitious views of the duke of Monmouth, though they both aimed at the fame object. It is at least certain that he received the duke with great kindness, and treated him with the highest marks of refpect, after he had been pardoned by a fond and indulgent father, for his unnatural fhare in the Rye-houfe plot, but ordered to leave the kingdom on a new fymptom of difaffection; that on the acceffion of James II. and when the prince of Orange was profeffing the strongest attachment to his father-in-law, Monmouth, Argyle, and other English and Scottish fugitives in Holland, were fuffered, under his fecret protection, to provide themfelves privately with neceffaries, and to form the plan

8. See king James's Mem. in Macpherson's Original Papers, vol. i. and Count D'Avaux's Negociations, tom. i. ii. iii. iv.

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PART II.

A.D. 1685.

of an invafion, in hopes of roufing to arms the diffatisfied part of the two kingdoms 9.

ARGYLE, who was first ready, failed for Scotland with three veffels, carrying arms and ammunition; and, foon after his arrival in the Highlands, he found himself at the head of two thousand men. But the king's authority was too firmly established in Scotland to be fhaken by such a force. Early made fenfible of this, Argyle was afraid to venture into the low country; where, if he had been able to keep the field, he might have met with support from the Covenanters. At any rate, he ought to have hazarded the attempt, before the ardour of his adherents had leifure to cool, or his well-wishers time to difcern his danger, instead of waiting for an acceffion of strength among his mountains. But his fituation, it must be owned, was at all times difcouraging. Government, apprifed of his intended invafion, had ordered all the confiderable gentry of his clan to be thrown into prifon. The whole militia of the kingdom, to the number of twenty-two thousand men, were foon under arms; and a third part of them, with all the regular forces, were now on their march to oppofe him. The marquis of Athol preffed him on one fide; lord Charles Murray on the other; the duke of Gordon hung upon his rear; the earl of Dumbarton met him. in front. His arms and ammunition were feized, his provifions cut of. In this defperate extremity, he endeavoured to force his way into the difaffected part of the western countries, He accordingly croffed the river Leven, and afterward the Clyde; but no perfon fhewed either courage or inclination to join him, His followers, who had fuffered all the hardfhips of 9. Id. ibid.

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famine and fatigue, gradually deferted; and he himfelf being made prifoner, was carried to Edinburgh, and immediately executed on a former iniquitous A.D.1685. fentence. Two English gentlemen excepted, his adherents, by difperfing themselves, efcaped punish

ment.

MEANWILE the duke of Monmouth, according to agreement, had landed in the Weft of England; and fo great was his popularity, that although accompanied only by about fourscore perfons, the number of his adherents foon increased to five thoufand. At the head of thefe, who were chiefly of the lower class, he entered Taunton; where he was received with fuch extraordinary expreffions of joy, that he issued a declaration afferting the legitimacy of his birth, and affumed the title of king. From Taunton he marched to Bridgewater, where he was received with equal affection, and proclaimed king, by the magiftrates, with all the formalities of their office. His followers hourly increased; and he was obliged every day, for want of arms, to dismiss great numbers who crowded to his ftandard. He only, perhaps, needed conduct and abilities to have overturned his uncle's throne. Confcious of his want of thefe, as well as of refources, the nobility and gentry kept at a diftance. He had no man of talents or courage, to adwife with in the closet, or to affift him in the field. Lord Gray, his general of horfe, and whom he had the weakness to continue in command, was to his own knowledge a coward; and he himself, though perfonally brave, allowed the expectation of the people to languish, without attempting any bold enterprife".

10. Burnet. Wodrow. Hume. 11. Burnet. Kennet. Ralph.

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PART II.

A. D. 1685.

July 5

NOT WITSTANDING this imprudent caution, and the news of Argyle's mifcarriage, Monmouth's followers continued to adhere to him, after all his hopes of fuccefs had failed, and when he had even thoughts of providing for his own fafety by flight. Roufed to action by fuch warm attachment, and encouraged by the prospect of feizing an unexpected advantage, he attacked the king's forces, under the earl of Feverfham, at Sedgemoor, near Bridgewater; and had it not been for his own misconduct, and the cowardice of lord Gray, he might have gained a decifive victory. Though Gray and the cavalry fled in the beginning of the action, the undisciplined infantry gallantly maintained the combat for three hours; and the duke himself, befides his errors in generalship, quitted the field too early for an adventurer contending for a crown '2. About fourteen hundred of the rebels were killed in the battle and purfuit, and nearly an equal number made prifoners.

MONMOUTH himself, with a fingle attendant, efcaped to a confiderable distance from the fcene of action; but his horfe at length failing him, he was reduced to the neceffity of travelling on foot, and changed cloaths with a peasant, in order to conceal himself from his purfuers. In that humble disguise, he was found lying in the bottom of a ditch, covered with weeds. He had in his pocket fome green peas, which had been his only food for feveral days; and his fpirts being exhaufted with hunger and fatigue, he burst into tears, and behaved otherwife in a manner unworthy of his character. Even on his arrival in London, allured by the fond hope of life, he was induced to make the meaneft fubmiffions, in order to pro

12. Burnet, book iy.

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XVI.

cure a pardon"; though he might have been fenfible, LETTER from the greatness of his own offences, and the king's unfeeling difpofition, that he could expect no mercy. A. D. 1685. After that hope failed him, he behaved with becoming dignity; and difcovered great firmnefs and compofure at his execution, though accompanied with many horrid circumstances '4.

HAD James ufed his victory with moderation, this fortunate fuppreffion of a rebellion in the beginning of his reign would have tended much to ftrengthen his authority; but the cruelty with which it was profecuted, and the delufive profpects which it opened to his zeal for popery and unlimited power, proved the chief caufe of his ruin. Such arbitrary principles had the court infufed into its fervants, that the earl of Feversham, immediately after the battle of Sedgemoor, and while the foldiers were yet fatigued with flaughter, ordered above twenty of the infurgents to be hanged, without any form of trial. But this infance of illegal feverity was forgotten in the fuperior inhumanity of colonel Kirk, whose military executions were attended with circumftances of wanton cruelty and barbarity. On his first entry into Bridgewater, he not only hanged nineteen prisoners without the leaft inquiry into the nature of their guilt, but ordered a certain number to be executed while he and his company fhould drink the king's health; and obferving their feet to quiver, in the

13. Id ibid. See alfo James II. 1685.

14. Touched with pity, or unmanned by terror, at the noble prefence of Monmouth, and the part he was to perform, the executioner ftruck him three times, without effect; and then threw aside the axe, declaring that he was unable to finish the bloody office. The sheriff obliged him to renew the attempt, and the duke's head was at last severed from his body.

agonies