A VIEW OF THE COURT OF St Since the Year 1690. With an Account of the Entertainment Protestants meet with there. Directed to the MALE CONTENTS PROTESTANTS OF ENGLAND DUBLIN, reprinted by Andrew Crook, and again reprinted at Glasgow, by ROBERT SANDERS, One of His MAJESTY's Printers. M. DC.XC.VI. THE PREFACE. THe Ages to come will hardly believe that in England there should be found one single protestant Jacobite, at this time of Day: And the Reformed Nations abroad are at a loss what to make of that unaccountable Species of Men. When most of the Roman Catholic princes have hearty Embraced the late Revolution in Britain, as the last Effort for the Common liberty of Europe, and have Entered into the strictest Alliance with those of an Opposite Religion to Support it. It looks like a Dream, to meet with an English Protestant in an Interest contradistory to, not only the Public liberty of their Country, but to the Religion they profess. It was indeed no great wonder that the late King made all the steps possible towards the change of the Religion, in his Opinion, Heretical: At a time when he was upon the Throne, and backed with all the promising Supports of Regal Power, yet even then he thought himself obliged to keep some Measures with his Protestant Subjects, and instead of a Total Rupture with them, endeavourd to lull them asleep, under the specious pretence of liberty of Conscience, till all his Engines were ready to give the fatal Blow But now that he is fallen under Circumstances, Which one would think should much more than ever oblige him to assume a new, at least keep on the Old Mask: Upon the quite contrary, since he went to France, he tackle all pains imaginable to let the World know, his inveterat Aversion to all those of the Reformed Religion, tho' never so much his Friends; and at the same time has given us the most Authentic Demonstration of his firm Design, never to allow any there of his Favour, nor owe his Restoration to any but Roman Catholics. All which will appear by the following account of his Carriage towards those few Protestants that have followed 〈◊〉 Sinking Fortunes, the length of St. Germains. A VIEW OF THE COURT OF St. . Directed to the Malcontents Protestants of ENGLAND. THERE being already so many Volumes to show the Lawfulness of the late Revolution, it is superfluous, it seems, to make any further attempt on the same Subject: For if you have shut your Eyes against the strong Arguments and Convincing Proofs made use in these Books, who can flatter himself to cure you of that wilful Blindness? However, I hope, this plain account I make bold to direct to you, will not prove altogether useless, for when I consider your Party, I think I may reasonably believe that it is made up of some good and honest Men, tho' misguided by a tender Conscience, and of some self-interested Persons, who being not able to obtain the Preferments they expected, have turned Jacobites in hopes to advance their Fortune by a Second Revolution. But give me leave to tell you further, that after an Impartial Enquity into the Life and Conversation of your Party, I have all the reasons in the World to conclude that the Number of the Conscentious Jacobites, I have spoken of, must be very little, and that the greatest Number among you are hurried away by the imaginary hopes I have hinted at, therefore if I can convince you, that you have no reason to flatter yourselves, to obtain any reward or preferments under King James, no, nor when he should be restored by your means, I hope some of you will open their Eyes to their own Interest, and forsake a Prince from whom you cannot expect any grateful Return. I won't recall to your Minds his Behaviour while he was on the Throne of England, I suppose no body has forgot that no Protestants were welcome to him, but such as would promise to betray the Liberties of their Country to Popery and Arbitrary Power; neither shall I mention how severely he used the Protestants in Ireland in 1689; you would be apt to say that being in Popish hands he could not avoid it, but I intent only to give you a short view of his Court at St, , and an Account of the Entertainment the Protestants of your Party have met there: For if a Prince in his Circumstances, who Interest it ought to be to court protestants, cannot conceal for a time the Hatred he has for them what treatment can you expect from him, when he is Re-inthroned, and Supported by the power of France. King James retireing unto France after his defeat at the Boyn left the Administration of his Affairs in Ireland to my Lord Tyrconnel, and in Scotland to the Colonels Buchan and Cannon: and the French King having appointed St in Say for his Reception, he there began to form a Court in in the Year 1690, and his Household was Constituted as follows. The Duke of Powis, Lord Chamberlain. Colonel Porter, Vice-Chamberlain. Colonel Skelton controller. The Earls of Dumbarton and Abercome Lords of the Bed Chamber. Captains, Macdonald, Beadles, Stafford, and Trevanian, Groom of the Bed Chamber. The Two Skeldons. Esquires. Fergus Graham Privy purse. Sir John Sparrow, Board of green Cloth, and Mr. Strickland, Vice Chamberlain to the Queen. The Officers of State were as fellows. Mr. Brown Brother to my Lord Montage Brown, and sometime Commissioner of the Custom) Secretary of St●te for England. Father Inns, Precedent of the Scots College at Paris Secretary of State for Scotland. Sir Richard Neagle, Secretary of State for Ireland. To which were added as a Juncto, Mr. Carril the Queen's Secretary, and Mr. Stafford, formerly Envoy at the Court of Spain, whom the King called together as a Privy-Council, to advise with upon all Emergencies: The Earl of Melford Prime Minister of State, being sent to Rome sometime before, partly to Negociate King James' Affairs at the Pope's Court, and partly to remove him from the Jealousies of the Irish, who at that time wholly Monopolised this prince's Ear and Favour. Thus things continued for a while, but Ireland being reduced sometime after, and the Scotish Highlanders Submitting, the Court of St. was every day thronged with Gentlemen from those Kingdoms, as well as from England; and then a Protestant Party began to distinguish themselves, and endeavour to make an appeatance at that Court. The first considerable step they made, was to desire a Chapel from King James, for the exercise of their worship according to the Church of England, and proposed Dr. Grandvil, Brother to the Earl of Bath, formerly Dean of Durham, as a fit person to be their Chaplain; they urged the great Encouragement, such a Toleration would give to his Adherents in England, and what satisfaction it would be to such Protestants as followed him; but though common Policy, and his Circumstances made every Body believe that this Request would be easily granted, yet it was positively denied, and Dr. Granvil obliged not only to retire from Court, but also from the Town of St. to avoid the daily insults of the Priests, and the dreaded Consequences of the Jealousies with which they possested King James' Court against him. Dr. Gordon, a Bishop of Scotland, the only protestant Divine that then was there, met with a ●orse Treatment still than Dr. Granvil, and was reduced to 〈◊〉 necessity of abjuting his Religion for want of Bread, with ●●ich he could not be supplied, but upon those hard terms. however K. James being sensible that such an usage would ●●●●udice his interest in Britain, resolved to prevent the having of any Protestant Divine there, and therefore sent Bro●●●● Macqueen in Company of Major Scot into England, who ●●●●ght Letters from him to his Friends, in which he required them to trouble him no more with Divines, as Messengers. This bad Success did not altogether discourage the Protestant Party, they made a second effort upon the constitution of the before mentioned Council of Five, to have one of the number at least a Protestant: They insisted upon the Advantages which might thence redound to his Majesty's affairs in Britain, and for that end did earnestly recomend my Lord Chief Justice Herbert as a Person both well qualified to give Advice in English Affairs, and of an unspoted Reputation in his Country. Those reasons where so convincing, that the Irish fearing they would obtain their demand; an Information was trumped up against the Chief Justice by Mr. controller Skelton, and Sir William Sharp, of having said that King James' violent Temper would ruin himself and all that followed him. My Lord owned the Words, but made so ingenious an Explanation of his meaning, which was in relation to the Act of Settlement in Ireland; that King James was satisfied, The Irish having miss their Aim; form a short time after another Plot against him, and charged him of Corresponding with the English, and misrepresenting the Transactions of that Court, whereupon he and a Worthy Lady, with whom he boarded, were confined, and Broomfield the Quaker committed to the Bastile. And thus was this Lord Chief Justice for no other Reason, but his adhering to a Protestant interest, excluded from all share of management of Affairs in King James' Court, though his Capacity, and sufferings were sufficient in the Eyes of all reasonable Men, to have entitled him to a share in that Prince's Favour and Secret. If my Lord Chief Justice Herbert was so used, I would fain know upon what ground any of our Jacobites should flatter himself of a better Treatment. Mr. Cockburn of Lantoun in the Kingdom of Scotland wa● the next Protestant that had Merit and Favour enough t● pretend to a share in the management of King James● Affairs. This Gentleman having followed him in Irelan● was taken at Sea, after the Battle of the Boyn, and brought prisoner to London: but a proposal being made of Exchanging him for Captain St. Lo, Then prisoner in France, he 〈◊〉 ●●larged; and during his abode here, did so ingra●● himself with the most considerable of the disaffected protestants, that he was recommended by them to King James, as a person fit to serve him in the Affairs of greatest Trust, He was no sooner arrived at St. , that he told that prince, his Friends in England thought that my Lord Melford, who was then returned from Rome, was a great Grievance, and aught to be laid aside, & that the only way for the King to procure the good Opinion of his Subjects in Britain, and reconcile them to him, was to put the management of his Affairs in protestants Hands. This prudent Advice of the disaffected protestants of England, or of Mr. Cockbur, had in effect quite contrary to what they expected; King James took it so ill, that in few days after an Order was procured from the French Court commanding him to departed France under severe penalties, being too much a Friend to the English Interest; Mr. Cockburn was forced to obey, and has lived as an Exile in Holland and Hamburg ever since. But the Submission of the Scotch Highlanders afford us still some more convincing proofs of King James' hatred for the protestant Religion, and of his ingratitude towards such who had made a Sacrifice of all that can be dear to Men, to support his sinking Fortune in Scotland. The Lord's Dumfermling, Dunkel, Colonel's Cannon, Graham, and several others protestants, having forfeited their Estates and Families, retired into France, as also did the Colonels Buchan, Maxuel. Wachop, and some other Popish Gentlemen; but when they came to St. , the Papists were immediately preferred to considerable Posts, both in the French and Irish Armies, where the Protestants, though their Merit was greater, were exposed to all imaginable hardship, and contempts: My Lord Dumfermling and Colonel Cannon are too Illustrious Examples of King James' Ungratitude, to be here past by. The Earl through a mistaken notion of Loyalty and Honour, had Sacrificed his Honourable Family, and a Plentiful Estate, to follow that Prince in his misfortune; and it most be granted that such a Proof of Loyalty, deserved some kind Returns, yet happening to Quarrel at St. , with one Captain Brown, a Papist, about a Trifle, the Captain was encouraged and countenanced in his Quarrel by the Court, and made Commander of a Company of Scots, Reformed Officers is Catalonia whilst this Noble Lord was despised, for his adhering to his Religion, this ill Treatment broke his Heart, and he sunk under he Weight of his hard Fate, at St. Germai●● His misfortoun lasted longer than his Life, for notwithstanding his Meris, Sufferings, and the interest made by his Friends, he not could obtain a Christian Burial; and his Corpse was laid in a Chamber, till an opportunity was found of digging a hole in the Fields in the Night where they Thrust him in. Nor was Colonel Cannon better used, than my Lord Dumferling: This Gentleman Commanded as General over King James' Army in Scotland and served him with so much faithfulness, that every body thought he would be preferred to a great Command upon his arrival at St. ; but he positively refusing to abandon the little Religion he had which was Protestant, was reduced to the Scandalous Allowance of half a Crown a day whilst papists who had served under him were advanced to good posts. This unhappy Gentleman finding himself thus neglected, fell sick through Grief and Want, and died; having taken the Sacrament from the Hands of Dr. Granvile three days before his Death; but the priests who were always buzzing about him took the opportunity of his being speechless to thrust a Wafer down his Throat, and gave out that he died a Papist, and by this means got him the Favour of Burial, which his Corpse had else been excluded from, as well as my Lord Drumforling's. If the Sufferings and great Merits of these two Gentle Men have not been able to mollify King James' Heart, and to brain from him any generous Returns, I would fain know upon what Foundation are grounded the great hopes of our Grumblers, seeing the most part of them have not had Courage enough to follow that Prince, and have, for aught we see no other Qualification to recommend them but their bare Jacabitism. However, the Examples I have already exposed to your view, are not sufficient to convince you, that as long as you are Protestants, and English Men, you are to expect no share in King James' Favour; I'll produce some others, which I am sure will open your Eyes, unless you are bound by an Oath to to continue always blind, and I'll begin with Sir James Moungomeris. This Gentleman left no Stone unturned to re-establish King James in Scotland, by the same Parliament, that declared him to have Forfeited his Right; He was afterward, for Several Years, his most active Minister in England, Penned and published Declarations for him at the time of his designed Descent from La-Hogue, and after the Miscarriage of that, wrote his Britain's Just Complaints: Was his weekly News sender and Project Drawer; yet this is very Sir James Mountgomery, who had done such great things, and run such hazards for him being obliged to fly to France, after making his escape from the Messenger's House, could not obtain by reason of his being a protestant, any share into that Prince's Favour; was browbeaten from the Court by Priests daily upbraided with having been once in the Prince of Orange's Interest & at last obliged to retire ●o Paris, where he died with the Melancholy Reflections of the miserable State he brought himself into. The Earl of Lauderdale, though a Papist, met with no better Fate than Sir James; His Lady being a Protestant, and he an enemy to the violent Measures of the Court was judged to be sufficient Reason to exclude him from any share, in the Government, so natural it is for all bigots to hate every body that will not go to their height of Violence. This Gentleman hearty advised King James to put his affairs into Protestants Hands, and recommended the Earl of Cl●n, and the Nonjuring Bishops in England, and the Lord Home, Southesk and Sinclar in Scotland, as the fittest persons to serve him, but his Advice was so ill taken that he had his Lady sent to England not to return any more, was himself forbidden the Court, and reduced to a Pension of one Hundred pistlos per Annum; He retired to Paris, and seeing no probability of his Masters changing his Measures, died of Grief One would have thought that his Brother, Mr. Alexander Maitland, who on several Occasions had behaved himself very bravely in that prince's Service, should have been preferred by him, yet he met with such an Entertainment that wanting Bread there, he was very glad to come to England, and making his peace with the Government, whose Service he had Deferred having once had a Command in the Scots Guards under King William. Sir Andrew Forrester is unother greet Instance of King James' aversion to Protestants: This Gentleman served with all imaginable Zeal that Prince's Interests, when a Subject, and was the devoted Creature of his Most Arbitrary Commands, when a King, he suffered Imprisonment in the Tower for him at the time of his designed Descent, and yet notwithstanding all this, and the great Experience he had in Scotish Affairs, he could never obtain any share in that Prince's Confidence: when he came to St. all his Merits, Sufferings and the good Character he had in both Kingdoms were not enough to Counterbalance the Objection of being a Protestant, and therefore by no means to be Entrusted; so that after some time's Attendance, as a cipher, he was rewarded with a pass to return to England, for they had there no occasion for him. Sir Theophilus Oglethory, who by his Capacity as well as Services, was encouraged to go over and offer his Assistance, met with Sir Andrew Forrester's Fate upon account of his Religion; and was so unkindly used that he was very glad to get home to Old England again, where 'tis expected he will Plot no more. Mr. Fergus Graham was the only Protestant Gentleman in King James' Family, but as soon as they saw that my Lord Preston and Colonel Graham his Brother, who ventured so much for that Prince, could do them no more Service in England, he was discharged for no other reason, but that they thought a Protestant a Blemish in their . Nor was Sir William Sharp better used, although he pretended to come over upon the Act of Parliament in Scotland to save his Estate, for the Entertainment he had at St. before he came away is very well known. The pension he had whilst King James' Army in Scotland kept up was taken from him, and he fell under distrusts, with Melford and Innes, and contempt at Court, which will appear to all Reasonable Men a sufficient motive for his coming away. But the usage of Dr. Cockburn, a Scotish Divine, is beyond any thing that can be imagined. This Gentleman was Banished Scotland for his practices against the Government, and afterwards being obliged to leave England for writing of Pamphlets, thought himself secure of a Sanctuary at St. , if not, of a Reward for his Services; but instead of that he met with the daily importunities of Priests to make him abandon his Religion, and their endeavours ●roving vain, they then represented him as a dangerous person and got him sent from France. He lives now in Exile in Holland, both from Britain and France, Mrs. Ashton. widow to Mr. Ashton, who was Executed for his being concerned in my Lord Preston's Affairs, went ●o the Court of St. , after her Husband's Death, as ●hinking that she had some Merit to plead for a kind Reception, but she was as much deceived as any of those I have already mentioned. Few days after her arrival, Priests were sent to tell her, that nothing but being Roman Catholic could recommend a woman to the Queen's Service, which the poor Gentlewoman declining to comply with was neglected, and dying soon after, was refused Burial, till her Father Mr. Rigby of Covent-Garden, as a mighty Favour, and at great Charges, obtained leave from the Court of St. , to have her Body brought over into England; and Buried her in Covent Garden Church. If these Examples are not sufficient to convince our Jacobites, or if they question the truth of them, for really I must own that they are almost incredible; I desire them to consult the Young Lord Henmore; Mr. Louthian, Captains Murray, Dalyel, Macgil, Maclean, Fielding, Mr. Charles Kinnaird, and several hundreds more now in and about London, who are lately come from St. , and they will tell you, that the only reason why they left that Court was, because they could not have Bread, except they would change their Religion, and therefore did choose rather to run the hazard of Imprisonment, by returning to England, then stay and starve in France. Many Instances more might be given, to show King James' hatred to every thing, that bears the name of Protestant; but if what has already been said is not sufficient; sure I am, that the rest should be to no purposes What Protestant has he ever so much as seemed to Trust, since he lives in France? I know that my Lord Middleton must be excepted, for indeed King James has a seeming Trust in him. There is no Man that has been at St. 〈◊〉 must needs perceive, that he is not chief Minister, as Melford was, nor manages Affairs betwixt Versailes and St. , that being done by Inns and P●rter: He is but seldom called to the Couneil, and the French Court has never depended upon his Corespondance, since the disappointment they received by our Fleets going into the straits. I hope; these Instances will ●●nvi●●e all good Men, that have any sense of Liberty, Religion, and Honour, how unreasonable it is to be a Jacobite, and to think that the Present Misfotune; of King James, will frighten him from invading our Laws and Liberties in time to come, seeing, that neither the abandoning of Wives Children and Estates, nor the hazarding, nay, Loss of Life in his Service, can render him Just and Favourable to such Protestant's who have made a Sacrifice of all those Things to follow him: And if it be so, as certainly it is: what must those Protestant, Nations expect, (if ever he re-obtains the Government) who have renounced him, and set another Prince upon his Throne? If these who have followed him into France, are denied the Exercise of their Religion, when his Circumstance make it his Interest to grant it, what must we expect if ever he be again in possession of the Crown? My Lord Chief Justice Herbert, and the other Gentlemen before named, who firmly adhered to his Interests even in his greatest Misfortunes, were contemned, despised, and suffered to Starve, because they were Protestants, how can we or any Protestant Jacobites, who have none of those Merits, pretend to be better used? If the loss of Honours and Estates, has not been sufficient to obtain from him Christian Burial; upon what Ground can our Jacobites who have dene nothing for him, flatter Themselves with the hopes of great preferments, If he is reinthroned? In short, if the Examples he had of his Father's Misfortunes, and his Brother's Exil, wherein he himself was a shater, together with the Sense of his own Misfortunes have not been able to work a Reformation upon him, as appears by the above written Accounts, can we expect that ever he will be made more pliable, The Education of his Prince of Wales, whom no body deubts he designs his Successor, is another Instance of his irreconcilable Antipathy to the Protestant Religion, and English Liberties: One would have thought that Interest, as well as Policy, would have made him educat his Child a Protestant, or at least oblige him to put protestants ' about him of enquestioned Reputanon, to instruct him in the ways of pleasing the people, but instead of that, Dr. Beejon a famous and violent Papist; was made his Preceptor, and none but Popish Servants were allowed to be about him, so that he can imbibe nothing but what is for the Interest of Rome, and Destruction of England. Can people be so mad as to expect good terms from a prince, who not only thus Treats his Protestant Subjects, who have followed him in his Misfortunes, but also whose Religion lays him under a Necessity of deing it? Can greater Obliga●ions be laid upon any Prince than were upon him by the Church of England when a Subject? Her interest Saved him from being prosecuted for the Popist plot excluded from the Succession to the English Throne, and afterwards Dethroned by the Doke of Monmouth, ye● all those Obligations were no more than his Coronation Oath, could not hinder him from invading he Protestant Religion in general, but more particularly the Liberties of the Church of England, But perhaps some will Object against what I have said, that from the Entertainment Protestants met with at St. 'tis not reasonable to conclude that King James pears still such an aversion to our Religion and Liberties: For being himself but a Refuge in France, and having nothing to live upon but the pension the French King Ilows him, it is not in his power to reward those Protestants who have followed him, even not to caress them: and herefore we ought rather to peruse the Declarations he as put out since his being in France; for therein we shall ●nd undenieble proofs, that his Misfortunes have much tere his Mind. Read (will our Jacobites say) the declaration he published upon his intended Descent from 〈◊〉 Hague, and observe what promises he makes, both in lation to our. Religion and our Liberties, the Sincerity thereof you have no manner of pretence to Question, for ●●en thinking himself sure of his Game, nothing could lige him to disguise the true gentiments of his Heart. This is some what indeed, Gentlemen, and were the 〈◊〉 as you say, I would aggree with you, but give me 〈◊〉 to tell you, that 'tis a great Question 〈◊〉 Declaration you speak of, which was Printed here; did really contain King James' Sentiments; but whether it was his own Declaration, or Sir James Montgomtrie's, it does not matter a pin, for his late Majesty did publiekly disown it in a Memorial to the Pope, upon his return to Paris; and it has been acknowledged in a Jacobite Pamphlet, called, An Answer to Dr. welwood's Answer to King Jame's Declaration; That the same was form without his Knowledge, and against his Inclination. I have told you, in the beginning of this Discourse, that I believe that there are among you some Conscientious Men, and to those I shall say nothing at this time, but to such that are angry with the Government (as I know many amongst you are) merely because they cannot have any Employment under it, and who think without any further Examination to better their Condition by a second Revolution: I'll say, that they ought to consider, that King James' Popish, Friends, must be all provided for first of all, and pray what will remain then for you? For as to Pensions I think you are not so mad as to flatter yourselves with such imaginary hopes, for the French Army that brings King James over must be paid, and their vast-Charges for the Irish war, and the Maintenance of King James reimbursed, before your beloved Prince be in a Condition to Express his Favour to you: perhaps you will say, that the French King is too much a Gentleman, to demand any such thing, but I don't know what has given you that Noble Idea of his Generosity: But supposing his Temper to be such, this War will so much drain his Exchequer, that Necessity will force him to demand what is justly owing to him and who shall be able to dispute his Bill of Charges? Nay, will King James be able to satisfy him? I don't know, but this I am sure of, that as long as you profess the protestant Religion, you cannot expect to be more Favourably Treated then his present Followers. Some others amongst you are disaffected, because, as they say, without the Restotation of King James, a protestant war will be Entailed of the Nation, and because our Treasure is Exhausted by Taxes, and Our Blood Expended beyonds Sea, which the Nation cannot long bear. To these Gentlemen I must answer, That they are much mistaken, for the bringing in of King James, which they think will put an End to these Troubles, would Infallibly bring the Seat of War from Flanders into England: For in is Unreasonable to Suppose, that so many Noblemen and Gentlemen as are Engaged in King William's Cause, would tamely Submit, or that his Majesty, whose Interest in Europe is so very great would either Ingloriously abandon his Throne, or want Foreign Assistance to support him in it. 2. King James and the French King are both Old, and upon a Change of a Governor in France, we may reasonably expect Change of Measures; for as to the prince of Wales, his Interest stands or falls with that of his Supposed Father; but after all, is it Reasonable to believe that the French, or any other Nation, will live in perpetual War with us merely for the sake of a prince, who pretends to be deprived of his Rights? There are very few Knight-Errants in this Age, or at least, sure I am, that no Nation in general is acted by their principles, and we see the French offer already to forsake him. 3. I grant that our taxes are greater than ever our Nation paid; but yet they are not so heavy but that we can hold it out, many Years at this Rate. In short, whatever they be, I believe there is no good Man but will rather hazard his person to keep the Enemy abroad, then see a French and Irish Army in the Bowels of our own Country, destroying our Substance, Burning our Habitations and Committing the Barbarities which they Committed in the palatinate: For Certainly by one Months Ravage of this Nature, we should lose more Blood and treasure than can probably besprent to bring the War to an Honourable and Happy Conclusion. ●hat happy Moment is not perhaps so far as some people imagine; for whosoever will cast his Eyes on the present posture of Affairs in Europe, must needs Conclude that the French cannot hold it out much longer. FINIS.