which from time to time were emptied, and consequently had nothing left; the said lord was asked by his associate, Where that great and well furnished magazine was, of which his excellency had boasted of so much not long before; whereupon shrinking up his shoulders, he said, that his meaning was, it would serve to furnish Holland only, but none of the other provinces; which this lord, - who, a few days ago, gave me an account thereof, resented very strangely.

Nay, that which is more, our whole army, being before Yssel, was, two days before Whitsuntide, so ill provided of powder and shot, that, in case of an attack, they would not have been able to defend themselves above twenty-four hours.

Some of the deputies upon the report, which was on Whitsunmonday, that the French had taken Burick, coming from Nimeguen to sollicit the lords deputies that were in the field, for powder and shot, received for answer, That they could not spare them any; which was also told me at the same time by 'a governor of Nimeguen.

But Kirk-Patrick, Governor of Hertogenbosch, took better care for his government, sending the last week a list, to the council of state, of all things which he wanted.

And to shew that his Highness, the Prince of Orange, used more than ordinary care and endeavours, he sent the governor, whilst the city, committed to his care, was blocked up or besieged, to fetch powder, shot, and cannon, which the said governor ob tained; but then he could not find a vessel that either would or could undertake to carry the same thither, of which the governor hath made great complaints here to several persons. Now whe ther this governor was blinded by the orders of his masters, that he could not see the forementioned defects before, or whether the overseers of our country's welfare judged, that it was of small con. sequence to this state, to preserve this fortress, the magistrates formerly were not of that opinion; but the times change,

Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.

The king of France needed not to use any force upon the works, which, with so much care and labour, were made along the Yssel, for a far easier way was shewn him, to come through the river Rhine, and so to fall into the heart of our country.

To which the treacherous Momba was no small instrument, having so well ordered that affair beforehand in France, with his honest brother de Groot, that by what means I know not he was made chief commander of that part of our militia, which were appointed for the defence of that station: When this traitor, instead of charging his regiment to be careful in defending their post, and encouraging them to oppose their enemies, gave orders to march up within a mile from Nimeguen, and so to leave that station.

Which when told to his highness the Prince of Orange, who extremely wondered thereat, an express order was immediately sent,

that they should instantly draw down to the forementioned station again, and endeavour by all means possible to defend the same.

But, before they could approach the same, the enemy was above half over the Rhine, so that our forces, which were to keep that station, were as if brought to their slaughter, and those of Alsa, his regiment most of them slain; as a lieutenant, under the licutenant-colonel of this regiment informed me, as he was coming along with twenty-eight men which he had picked up from several com. panies, after the passage through the Rhine was opened to the enemy: .

Et hinc nobis hodiernæ illæ Lachrymæ.

Now whether that great favourite of the enemies can, by means of his correspondence, free his brother-in-law Momba, from the punishment due to him, for the horrid slaughter occasioned by his means, and for betraying of our native country, the time will learn us. But we hope, that his conscience will check him for his own villainies, that he will not think of acting any more, if it be possible for a magpy to leave off hopping.

One of the lords deputies of the field (as I was told by an eminent member of their excellencies the high and mighty states of Holland) being asked, How affairs were ordered, that such small endeavours were used to oppose the enemy?' he answered, That he could give no other reason, but that they had no secret correspondence, to give them any account of the enemies designs, of which they were altogether ignorant.

But this brother, and his accomplices, had too much knowledge of the enemies designs, and were too much concerned therewith. For, as I am informed, Momba would endeavour to clear himself by the letters from the forementioned lord: And undoubtedly that was the reason, that when his highness the Prince of Orange was of opinion that the enemy ought to be opposed sometimes in one, and then in another place (to which there then presented good opportunities) and desiring hereon the advice or order of the lords deputies, he never could get any thing else from them, but shrunk up shoulders, and many expressions of difficulties, never consenting, nor absolutely disapproving of his highness's proposals: but all things in suspense tied up as it were his highness's hands, that he could not do any thing in the defence of our native country.

Every one may justly stand amazed, to consider how it is possible that all things should be thus strangely carried, when there were and are still so many loyal governors at the helm. For my part, I can satisfy myself, when I think on the wonderful carriage of officers, and strange government which hath been of late; to consider the power and sway, which that great, and I must confess most wise pensionary (I could wish to God that his wisdom had been employed for the good of the country) John de Witt bore, during the time of his being pensionary.

Ilath not he, under a pretence of freedom, brought us into the

greatest slavery of the world? Were his intensions from the beginning till the last aught else? And did his malicious governing tend to any other end, than to root out and diminish the lustre of that illustrious house of Orange and Nassau ?

Is there any one person that can be said to be ignorant thereof? Can there be a greater institution of slavery thought on in the world, than to force the whole state, as it were, against their consciences, to suppress the Prince of Orange? Whose predecessors, of blessed memory, may, next to God, only be said to have brought us to this our freedom, with great effusion of blood, and vast expence of money. Nay, to oblige themselves thereto by oath. We become slaves, when we are deprived of our liberty, but slaves of slaves, nay slaves of sin, when we are prevented from doing of good, and forced by an oath to do evil. No governors were admitted to the regency, but with taking this oath; and so, in the beginning of their office, were forced to make themselves guilty of so abominable, and before God and the world, horrid sin of ingratitude; a sin, which not only carries so many unheard of oaths along with it, but is also the occasion of so great effusion of blood in our native country. A sin, which can, and may be said to have given the Almighty God sufficient reason utterly to deprive us again of our so dear bought freedom, and bring us to a greater slavery than ever we were in before. What man, how prudent soever he be, can apprehend how it is possible that one man should infect and poison a whole state, wherein there are so many wise, honourable, and loyal regents and lords, to oblige themselves, and their successors, as much as in them lay, by an oath, to such a ruinous and ever-crying sin of ingratitude? And yet, nevertheless, it was done, for, not above eight or ten days before the strange revolution, the Pensionary of Harlem was forced, at the court, to swear to the forementioned perpetual edict. Thus to renew and increase the crying and blood-guilty sin of our country! I tremble, when I remember, that, some years ago, I accidentally lighted on a book, wherein, instead of mentioning the virtues of the praise-worthy and never-sufficiently famous Princes of Orange, stood written with an accursed and devilish pen, that there were no virtues of the Princes to boast of, but their vices, as, whoring, adultery, drunkenness, and the like, were at large described, and attributed to every prince. Who doth not stand amazed at the hearing hereof, and the more, when they know, that this was not only sold publickly, but was also licensed, and printed, with authority from the state? The Counsellor-Pensionary had sufficiently examined the same, and supplied all the defects, and esteemed the writer hereof as a loyal subject, calling him the defender of the country's freedom. But, if any thing in that nature had been done to the prejudice of that long John, or aught had been writ of any of his relations, would not the writer thereof have been prosecuted with fire and sword, and the printed paper, or book, immediately taken and burnt? What hath not this grand designer, with the help of his accomplices, and hired slaves, which

he rewarded, by giving them several offices, done to execute his treacherous and wicked designs? See farther. No sooner were the keys of our native country (always so highly esteemed, and preserved, with great care and circumspection) villainously given into the hands of the enemy, but we began to help him to open the gates also. Who could ever dream of such actions? No books afford the like example. Peter de Groot, that perjured and dishonourable wretch, is to make peace.

To which purpose he had a blank commission from the whole state (without any instructions according to which he might govern himself) to treat with the enemy; and, to speak plain, to make an absolute agreement for our dear bought freedom, religion, and native country.

It would sooner have seemed to me, and all the world, a fable than a truth, had it not appeared plainly out of the printed letter sent from the lords, the States of Zealand, who manifested their fidelity and great fatherly care, and also declared, that, not without great reason, they could not consent to such an unlimited power as de Groot had given him; that it was an unheard of thing in the government of this country (ipsissima verba epistola) to give full power to a deputed person, to treat with a potentate; but much less with a publick enemy: Moreover, saying plainly, that they (nota bene) justly suspected this contrary way of acting, and that it gave them an apprehension that the enemy would thereby be encouraged to propose such conditions to such a deputy, which never can nor must be treated of, viz. their religion, freedom, and the lawful government of these countries.

And, how the forementioned three points would have been maintained by such a deputy, who is a notorious atheist, a slave to the enemy, bought to the destruction of our whole government, every one may easily judge. Just at the time when this commission was finished, and de Groot yet in the Hague ready on his departure, I had the honour to speak with one of my very good friends and a member of the High and mighty States of Holland, who, on my curious question of, What news?' Changing his countenance (as if things did not go according to his mind) was pleased to say: We shall in short have a peace, but I fear a sorrowful one.' De Groot goeth to the king of France, and hath plein pou

vour.

When asking amazedly, How will it be then? His excellency replied, there is a blank charter to be laid before the king, and his majesty is to write.'

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On which I answered, Then de Groot is a great prophet; for this morning a certain lord informed me (as indeed it was true) that the forementioned de Groot, about three months before, discoursing with him the said lord, saying that our native country was threatened with a great and terrible war:' De Groot answering said, Pish! pish! I do not see any such great difficulty therein; I do believe that the king of France will at the first take some of our cities, which we cannot hinder him from, but (nota) I, I de

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Groot (striking on his breast) will make peace with the king of France in the field about three months hence.'

And observe the time, wherein he received his forementioned commission, was about so long after.

The lord, hereupon discoursing liberally with me, said, that he believed the same, because de Groot was a person exceedingly self-opinionated; and that not long ago (not naming the time, which I guessed at by his words) he had told his excellency him. self, that he should certainly conclude a peace; adding moreover, that though we should lose, and add a pearl to his crown by this peace; yet, if we examined the prerogatives and benefits which Holland should reap from it, we would not account our loss so great.

Though this lord would not favour me with an explanation of the aforesaid prerogatives; yet I suppose in all likelihood that his chiefest aim was, that Holland should then be separated from the other United Provinces, and freed as it were from that heavy bur then, as they are pleased to call it.

And besides, that then they would be freed from all fears that his Highness the Prince of Orange at any time should be made Stadtholder of that province.

One would think it strange how it is possible, that any men should be transported to such imaginations: But,

Quid non mortalia pectora cogis

Auri sacra fames?

He was always more for the French, than the Prince's interest. This was the reason why the Council-Pensionary, in the time of the war with Munster, durst propose in a full assembly, to make the Duke of Turenne captain-general over our militia.

Ambitious is our enemy; and full of ambition are also those subjects; rather desiring to be governed by a king, than a prince, But see how miraculous is the Providence of the Almighty!

Just when our state was in greatest danger, and tottering ready to fall down, the appearance of our deliverance was nearest at hand: for it pleased God just at that time to throw down that great and subtle designer (which had thus long usurped more authority, than ever was aimed at by any of our princes) and immediately caused the Prince of Orange unanimously by all the inhabitants of those countries, to be proclaimed Stadtholder of Holland, Zealand, and West-Friesland, and to restore to him all those dignities which his predecessors of glorious memory ever enjoyed.

That great God grant also, that as, by means of his predecessors, with the expence of their estates and effusion of blood, the body of the ancient United Provinces was framed, and, as long as they reigned, kept in a good order; the disjoined members may by his valour and conduct (wherein we beseech God to assist,him, and to free him from evil counsel, and bless him more and more daily) be united again.