of the blue; but unfortunately for his countrymen, by pursuing too eagerly, he was utterly separated from the Dutch centre, where his assistance was much wanted. Meanwhile de Ruyter, who occupied that dangerous station, maintained with equal conduct and courage the combat against the centre of the English fleet, commanded by Rupert and Albemarle. Overpowered by numbers, his high spirit was at last obliged to submit to a retreat, which he conducted with the greatest ability; yet could he not help exclaiming, in the agony of his heart, "My God! what a wretch am I, to "be compelled to submit to this disgrace !—Amongst so many thousand bullets, is there not one to put an end to my "miserable life?" Tromp, too, after all his success, was obliged to yield to the combined efforts of the English red and blue squadrons 25. Though the loss sustained by the Dutch in this engagement was not very considerable, it occasioned great consternation among the provinces. The defeat of their fleet filled them with the most melancholy apprehensions. Some of these were soon realized. The English, now absolute masters of the sea, rode in triumph along the coast, and insulted the Hollanders in their harbours. A squadron, under sir Robert Holmes, entered the road of Vlie, and burnt two men of war and a hundred and forty rich merchantmen, together with the large village of Brandaris; the whole damage being computed at several millions sterling-26 The situation of de Wit was now truly critical. The Dutch merchants, uniting themselves with the Orange faction, violently exclaimed against an administration, which, as they pretended, had brought disgrace and ruin on their country. But the firm and intrepid mind of de Wit supported him under all his difficulties and distresses. Having quieted the provinces of Holland and Zealand, he gave himself little trouble about the murmurs of the rest, as they con 25. Ibid. 26. Clarendon. Heath. VOL. IV. H tributed tributed but little toward the public expence. The fleet of the republic was refitted in an incredibly short time, and again sent to sea under de Ruyter; and the king of France, though pleased to see England and Holland weakening each other's naval force, hastened the sailing of the duke of Beaufort, lest a second defeat should oblige his friend de Wit to abandon his dangerous station27. Such a defeat would certainly have happened to one, if not to both fleets, had not a violent storm obliged prince Rupert to retire into St. Helen's. While he remained there, repairing the damages he had sustained, de Ruyter, who had taken shelter in the road of Boulogne, returned home with his fleet in a sickly condition. The duke of Beaufort, who came too late to form a junction with the Dutch admiral, passed both up and down the channel without being observed by the English fleet; and Lewis XIV. anxious for the safety of his infant navy, which he had reared with much care and industry, dispatched orders to Beaufort to make the best of his way to Brest28. SEPT: 2. The same storm, which, by sea, prevented prince Rupert from annoying the French and Dutch fleets, prompted a dreadful calamity on land. A fire broke out, at one in the morning, in a baker's shop near London-bridge, and had acquired great force before it was observed. The neighbouring houses were chiefly composed of wood; the weather had long been remarkably dry; the streets were narrow, and the wind blew violently from the east; so that the flames spread rapidly from house to house, and from street to street, till the whole city was in a blaze. Terror and consternation seized on the distracted inhabitants, who considered the conflagration, so fast following the plague, as another visitation from Heaven, on account of the crimes of the court; or as a conspiracy of the papists, in conjunction with France, for the extirpation of all true religion. Sus28. Clarendon's Life. Contin. of Baker. picions 27. Basnage. Le Clerc. picions even extended to the royal family29. Three nights and three days did the flames rage with increasing fury: on the fourth day, the wind falling, the fire ceased in a manner as wonderful as its progress. Of twenty-six wards, into which the city was divided, fifteen were burnt down; four hundred streets and lanes, and thirteen thousand houses were destroyed30. But this calamity, though severely felt at the time, has eventually contributed to the health, safety, and future conveniency of the inhabitants of London, by the judicious method observed in constructing the new buildings3'; and, what is truly remarkable, it does not appear that, during the whole conflagration, one life was lost either by fire or otherwise. Though the most judicious historians leave us no room to suppose that either the catholics or the court had any concern in the fire of London, the very suspicion of such a conspiracy is a proof of the jealousy entertained of the measures of government. This jealousy was chiefly occasioned by the severities exercised against the presbyterians and other nonconformists, who still composed the majority of the people of England; and by the secret favour shewn to the catholics, who, though proscribed by many laws, seldom felt the rigour of any. The non-conformists of Scotland were, if possible, still more harshly treated. In consequence of the introduction of episcopacy, a mode of worship extremely obnoxious to the great body of the Scottish nation, three hundred and fifty parish churches had been at once declared vacant. New ministers were sought for all over the kingdom, and the churches filled with men of the most abandoned characters. No candidate was so ignorant or vicious as to be rejected. 29. Burnet, book ii. 30. King James's Mem. Clarendon's Life. Burnet, ubi sup. 31. The streets were not only made wider, and more regular than formerly, but the houses were formed of less combustible materials, the use of lath and plaister being prohibited. The The people, who were extremely devoted to their former teachers, (men remarkable for the austerity of their manners and their fervour in preaching) could not conceal their indignation against these intruders, whose debaucheries filled them with horror. They followed the ejected clergymen to the woods and mountains, where multitudes assembled to listen to their pious discourses; and while this pleasure was allowed them, they discovered no symptoms of sedition. But when the Scottish parliament, which was wholly under the influence of the court, framed a law against conventicles, similar to that severe act passed in England, the people took the alarm-and the cruelties and oppressions, exercised in enforcing this law, at last roused them to rebellion 32, The inhabitants of the western counties, where religious zeal has always been more ardent than in any other part of Scotland, rose in arms, to the number of two thousand, and renewed the covenant. They conducted themselves, however, in a harmless and inoffensive manner, committing no kind of violence, nor extorting any thing by force; and they published a manifesto, in which they professed their loyalty and submission to the king, and only desired the re-establishment of the presbytery and their former ministers. As most of the gentlemen of their party in the west had been confined on suspicion of an insurrection, they marched toward Edinburgh, in hopes of being joined by some men of rank; but finding themselves deceived, many dispersed, and the rest were marching back to their own country, when they were attacked by the king's forces, and routed at Pentland Hills. A considerable number of prisoners were hanged on one gibbet at Edinburgh, and thirty-five before their own doors, in different parts of the country. NOV. 28. 32. Not only such as frequented conventicles were punished to the utmost rigour of the law, but when it was found that the head of any family did not regularly go to church, soldiers were quartered upon him, till he paid a due attendance. Burnet, book ii. All these men might have saved their lives, if they would either have renounced the covenant or discovered any of their associates; but, though mostly persons of mean condition, they adhered inviolably to their faith and friendship. Maccail, one of their teachers, supposed to have been deep in the secrets of his party, was put to the torture, in order to extorta confession, but without effect. He bore his sufferings with great constancy; and expiring under them, seemed to depart in a transport of joy. "Farewel, sun, moon, and "stars," said he ;-" farewel kindred and friends; farewel "weak and frail body; farewel world and time; welcome "eternity; welcome angels and saints, welcome Saviour of "the world, and welcome God the judge of all34!" These words he uttered with a voice and manner that made a great impression upon all that heard him, and contributed not a little to inflame the zeal of his partizans. Conventicles continued to be attended in defiance of all the rigours of government, though these were extended to a degree of severity that was disgraceful to humanity. The state of Ireland was no less deplorable than that of Scotland; but the miseries of the Irish proceeded from other causes. Those it must now be our business to trace. Cromwell having expelled, without distinction, all the native Irish from their three principal provinces, Munster, Leinster, and Ulster, had confined them to Connaught and the county of Clare. And although those who had thus been expelled were generally catholics, many of them were altogether innocent of the massacre which had drawn so much odium on their countrymen of that religion. Several protestants too, and the duke of Ormond among the rest, who had uniformly opposed the Irish rebellion, were also attainted, because they had afterward embraced the king's cause against the parliament. To all these unhappy sufferers, some relief seemed due after the restoration; but the 34. Id. Ibid. difficulty ! L |