gdom. At the same time, such care and diligence were used
in disciplining the militia, that, before the close of the year, the
greater part of those truly constitutional battalions rivalled the
regular troops in the perfection of their exercise, and seemed to be, in
all respects, as fit for actual service.

DEATH OF THE PRINCESS OF ORANGE, &c.

Before we proceed to record the transactions of the campaign that
succeeded these preparations, we shall take notice of some domestic
events, which, though not very important in themselves, may nevertheless
claim a place in the History of England. In the beginning of the year,
the court of London was overwhelmed with affliction at the death of
the princess dowager of Orange and Nassau, governante of the United
Provinces in the minority of her son, the present stadtholder. She was
the eldest daughter of his Britannic majesty, possessed of many personal
accomplishments and exemplary virtues; pious, moderate, sensible, and
circumspect. She had exercised her authority with equal sagacity and
resolution, respected even by those who were no friends to the house of
Orange, and died with great fortitude and resignation.*

* Feeling her end approaching, she delivered a key to one of
her attendants, directing him to fetch two papers, which she
signed with her own hand. One was a contract of marriage
between her daughter and the prince of Nassau Weilburgh; the
other was a letter to the states-general, beseeching them to
consent to this marriage, and preserve inviolate the
regulations she had made touching the education and tutelage
of the young stadtholder. These two papers being signed and
sealed, she sent for her children, exhorted them to make
proper improvements on the education they had received, and
to live in harmony with each other. Then she implored Heaven
to shower its blessings on them both, and embraced them with
the most affecting marks of maternal tenderness. She
afterwards continued to converse calmly and deliberately
with her friends, and in a few hours expired.

In her will she appointed the king her father, and the princess dowager
of Orange her mother-in-law, honorary tutors, and prince Louis of
Brunswick acting tutor to her children. In the morning after
her decease, the states-general and the states of Holland were
extraordinarily assembled, and having received notice of this event,
pr