"When I wrote to you yesterday, I thought the militia would have kept the Duke of Monmouth shut up in Lyme; but by the fault of those of Devonshire, or Somersetshire, he has opened his way towards Taunton, which is a very factious town, and where he may increase his numbers; and though, with those troops I have raised, and am raising, I make no doubt of mastering him in some small time, yet, to make all sure, I desire you to lend me the three English regiments that are in your service, and they may be sent over with all speed[11]." Some of the towns of Holland were, however, so jealous of King James's predilection to papacy, and viewing the Duke of Monmouth in the light of a champion for the reformed religion, their secret wishes for his grace's success were so strong, that the Prince of Orange found some difficulty in obtaining the consent of the States for the regiments to proceed to England[12]; and when their consent had been procured, a new obstacle arose. The officers and soldiers of Sir Henry Bellasis's regiment (now Sixth Foot) were so devoted to the protestant interest, and so averse to becoming instruments by which the ascendency of popish principles should be established, that they objected to proceed to England[13]. Their scruples were, however, overcome, and the King expressed the gratification which he experienced on hearing they were ready for embarkation, in a letter to the Prince of Orange, in the following terms. "I received on Wednesday yours of the 6th, by which I see the English regiments were to be embarked by the beginning of this week, and must again thank you for them, and if they be but as good as the Scots regiments, which I saw this morning, I shall be doubly pleased; for, as to these I have seen, there cannot be, I am sure, better men than they are, and they do truly look like old regiments; and one cannot be better pleased with them than I am, and must again thank you for them[14]." His Majesty, however, declined the Prince of Orange's proposal to accompany the brigade to England, fearing that His Highness might acquire too much influence in this country.
The three English regiments arrived in the early part of July; and the rebel army having been overthrown at Sedgemoor on the 6th of that month, they were not required to draw their swords in the contest; but the presence of this celebrated body of men, at this critical juncture, could not fail to strengthen the interest of the court and overawe the disaffected. The brigade was encamped at Blackheath, and subsequently on Hounslow-heath, where the King reviewed it, and expressed his approbation of its warlike appearance, discipline, and good conduct; but the known staunch protestant principles of many of the officers and men gave his Majesty some concern. The three regiments (two of them now the Fifth and Sixth foot) obtained rank in the English army from the date of their arrival in England, and took precedence of the regiments raised by King James during the rebellion, in consequence of the latter not being completely organized when the brigade arrived. The rank of Sir Henry Bellasis's regiment (now Sixth Foot) was afterwards disputed in consequence of the refusal, in the first instance, to proceed to England[15]; but a board of general officers decided this question in its favour in 1694.
The rebellion having been suppressed, the English brigade returned to the Netherlands in August[16]; and the Scots a short time afterwards. The King was desirous of procuring the appointment of the Earl of Pembroke to the command of the six regiments, which was acceded to; but soon afterwards his Majesty pressed the Prince of Orange and States of the United Provinces to confer this important trust on the Earl of Carlingford, who was objected to (as the Earl of Dunbarton had been in the time of Charles II.), in consequence of his being a papist: his Majesty was particularly urgent on the subject; but the States did not acquiesce.
1686
1687
Soon afterwards events transpired which occasioned Sir Henry Bellasis to be removed from his regiment, which was commanded, ad interim, by the Lieut.-Colonel, William Babington. Although this officer was not appointed to the colonelcy, it was usually styled Babington's regiment. The prevalence of French councils at the British court, and the advances made by the king towards the establishment of papacy and arbitrary government, occasioned the nation to look to the Prince of Orange as the only source from whence deliverance could be expected, and on the 27th of May, 1687, Sir Henry Bellasis wrote to the Prince as follows: "I have presumed by this worthy bearer to give your Highness the assurance of my devotion to your service in particular. The testimony I have given to the world of my loyalty and sufferings for the crown, obliges me in duty to pay the same to those who are so nearly related to it as the Princess Royal and your Highness. Though my hand be weak to express it, or enlarge myself upon the subject, my heart shall supply that defect, in the profession I make[17]."
1688
The King felt some distrust at so efficient a body of British troops being in the service of a protestant republic at the time when he was meditating the subversion of the protestant religion and established laws of the kingdom: he was desirous of recalling them from Holland, and of transferring so many of them as would return, particularly the officers and men who were of the Roman Catholic religion, to the service of France. Louis XIV. had experienced the inconvenience of having the regiments in his service suddenly recalled, as the English and Scots corps were in 1678, and he declined the offer; but as the re-uniting of England in the communion of the church of Rome would further his projects of personal aggrandisement, he proposed to maintain a body of two thousand men in England, to be principally of the Roman Catholic church. This subject being arranged, King James wrote to the Prince of Orange on the 17th of January, 1688, as follows:
"I have charged my envoy, Mons. d'Abbeville, who will give you this letter, to give you an account that I think it for my service to call home the six regiments of my subjects that are under your command in the States' service; and have written to the States to the same purpose, and hope you will do your part to further their being embarked as soon as may be. What else I have to say on this subject I refer to my envoy; which is all I shall say now, but that you shall find me as kind to you as you can desire[18]."
The States well knowing the value of these favourite corps, and anticipating the speedy arrival of a period when they would have urgent occasion for the services of every regiment, refused to comply with the King's demand, alleging they were not bound by the treaty with the Earl of Ossory to send the six regiments to England, unless the King was engaged in a foreign war, or an insurrection at home, which was not the case. His Majesty was, however, determined, if possible, to deprive the States of the services of this select body of men; and, after some further correspondence on the subject, the following proclamation appeared in the London Gazette:—
"James R.