nce with the
parliament for allowing liberty of conscience to all his subjects, as
an indulgence agreeable to the spirit of the christian religion, and
conducive to the wealth and prosperity of the nation. He said his
principal care should be to heal the wounds of the late distractions; to
restore trade by observing the act of navigation, which had been
lately so much violated in favour of strangers; to put the navy in a
flourishing condition; and to take every step that might contribute
to the greatness of the monarchy and the happiness of the people. He
concluded with professions of resignation to the Divine Will, declaring
that all who should reject his offers of mercy, and appear in arms
against him, would be answerable to Almighty God for all the blood that
should be spilt, and all the miseries in which these kingdoms might be
involved by their desperate and unreasonable opposition.

While this declaration operated variously on the minds of the people,
colonel Parker, with some other officers, enlisted men privately for
the service of James, in the counties of York, Lancaster, and in the
bishopric of Durham: at the same time, Fountaine and Holeman were
employed in raising two regiments of horse at London, that they might
join their master immediately after his landing. His partisans sent
captain Lloyd with an express to lord Melfoot, containing a detail
of these particulars, with an assurance that they had brought over
rear-admiral Carter to the interest of his majesty. They likewise
transmitted a list of the ships that composed the English fleet, and
exhorted James to use his influence with the French king, that the
count do Tourville might be ordered to attack them before they should be
joined by the Dutch squadron. It was in consequence of this advice that
Louis commanded Tourville to fall upon the English fleet, even without
waiting for the Toulon squadron commanded by the marquis D'Etrees. By
this time James had repaired to La Hogue, and was ready to embark with
his army, consisting of a body of French troops, together with
some English and Scotch refugees, and the regiments which had been
transported from Ireland by virtue of the capitulation of Limerick.

PRECAUTIONS TAKEN BY THE QUEEN FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE NATION.

The ministry of England was informed of all these particulars, partly
by some agents of James who betrayed his cause, and partly by admiral
Carter, who gave the queen to understand he ha