Upon Wednesday about Noon, Order was given to march towards Exeter, and so every Souldier was commanded by their Officers to carry something or other besides his own Arms and Snap-sack, and this made many murmur exceedingly. Sundry scores of Horses were thrown overboard which died at Sea, so that by just Computation the Prince lost about six hundred Horses at least by the Storm. As we marched here upon good ground, the Souldiers would stumble and sometimes fall, because of a dissiness in their Heads after they had been so long toss’d at Sea, the very ground seem’d to rowl up and down for some days, according to the manner of the Waves: Therefore, it is the Lords Goodness that our Foes did not come upon us in this juncture and unfit Condition. The whole Army marched all the same way, in a manner which made very ill for the Rear Regiments, and cast them much behind. Many Country People which met us did not know what to say or think, being afraid that we should be served as the D. of Monmouth’s handful of Men were. Notwithstanding, some were so courageous as to speak out and say, truly their Hearts were for us, and went along with us, and pray’d for the Prince of Orange; but they said the Irish would come and cut them in pieces if it should be known. Some Souldiers asked them if they would go with them against the Popists? and many answered they were enough themselves, and wanted no more. His Highness, with Mareschal Scomberg, Count Sohms, Count Nassau, Heer Benting, Heer Zulustein, Earl of Shrewsbury, Earl of Macclesfield, Viscount Mordaunt, Lord Wiltshire, and divers other Knights and Gentlemen, came in the Rear of the middle Line; for as soon as we could conveniently, we were to march in three Lines, and the Prince was commonly or always in the middlemost Line, which was the meetest place. So he went unto a certain Gentleman’s House, about two miles off, where the last Line encamp’d the Second Night, and lodged there, his own Guards being with him. The first day we marched some hours after Night in the Dark and Rain; the lanes hereabout were very narrow, and not used to Wagons, Carts or Coaches, and therefore extreme rough and stony, which hindered us very much from making any speed. Divers of the Dutchmen being unaccustomed to such bad ways and hard marching in the Dirt, wished themselves back again in their own Country, and murmured because of the Dark and Rain. At length we came to the Corn-stubble Inclosures on the side of a Hill, where we encamp’d that Night. It was a red clay, and it rain’d very hard the greatest part of the Night; the Winds being high and stormy. Nevertheless, the poor Souldiers being much wearied with the Tent-Polls, Spare Arms, and other Utensils for War, which they had carried all Day and some hours after Night, as well as with the badness of the March, lay down to take their Repose; and verily the water run over and under some of their legs the major part of the Night, and their Heads, Backs and Arms sunck deep into the Clay, being so very wet and soft, notwithstanding they slept all Night very sweetly, in their Pee or Campagne Coats. The Souldiers here fetch’d some old Hedges and Gates to make their Officers and themselves some Fire (as they had done the night before), else some would have perished in the Cold, being all over in a Froth with Sweat in marching. And the old Hedges and Gates not being enough, they fetch’d away the new ones, for the Weather was not only raw and cold but we ourselves were so too, having nothing to eat or drink after so bad a day’s journey. The Souldiers had some good Holland’s Beef in their Snap-sacks, which they brought, and their Officers were very glad to get part with them, so they broil’d it at the Fire; some had bought Chickens by the way, but raw, which they broil’d and eat as a most delicate Dish. Sundry Captains offer’d any Mony for a Guide to bring them to a House thereabout, where they might have some provision for their money, but no Guide could be found; it was exceeding dark, and being all Strangers and unacquainted with the Country, we could not tell where to find one House, for those few that were scattering here and there were either in some little grove of Trees, and so hid from our Eyes, or else in a bottom amongst the Hills, and so could not be seen. These Quarters did not content our Minds, for tho’ we got as near to the Hedges as we could possible with our Fires, yet we could not be warm. Many of the Souldiers slept with their feet in the Ditch, and their Heads on the side thereof. We thought this Night almost as long as that in the Storm at Sea; and judged it to be the dawn of Day some hours before it was. The Morning appearing rejoiced our very Hearts, for we thought now we should march presently; and we were sure of this, that worse Quarters we could never meet with, but much better we hoped to find. A private souldier, therefore, going in the next Croft for to seek a convenient place, he found it to be an Inclosure with Turnips, so bringing his Burden away with him, he came to the Fire and gave those there some, telling his Comrades of the Place, who soon hastened thereto, and brought enow with them: Some roasted them and others eat them raw, and made a brave Banquet. The Souldiers were busy in discharging their Musquets, after the Wet and Rain, for they durst not trust to that Charge; and about 11 of the Clock the Army received Orders to march.
The Prince of Orange with the Lords and Gentlemen, rode from this place unto Sir William Courtenay’s, within a mile of Newton Abbot, the first Line being about Newton, and the last on their march thither. The Place where we encamped was trodden to Dirt, and stuck to our Shoes wretchedly. Now the Regiments marched sundry Roads, of which we were right glad, hoping to meet with better Quarters than the Marl and Clay Crofts. The People came in flocks unto the Cross-ways to see the Army, but especially the Prince. We met with much civility on the Road; now they began to give us Applause, and pray for our Success; sundry Persons enquired for the Declaration of his Highness.
Arrived near Newton, the Prince, as Whittle says, went to Ford House, within a short distance of the town, the residence of Sir William Courtenay, who endeavoured cautiously to abstain from doing anything to compromise himself with the King, should the latter prevail, and so managed not to be at home on the Prince’s arrival, but left directions that he should be hospitably lodged and feasted. Here he probably stayed two nights to enable the whole of the troops to come up and be in order for the march to Exeter, to which place Dr. Burnet and Lord Mordaunt with four troops of horse were sent on in advance.
The room at Ford House in which the Prince slept is still pointed out; it is called the “Orange room,” and is papered and upholstered in orange.
Mr. Blewitt, in the Panorama of Torquay, says:—“It is said that his first proclamation was read from the base of the ancient cross at Newton by the Rev. John Reynell, the minister of Wolborough”; and Mr. White, in his valuable History of Torquay, published in 1878, repeats this statement as a fact. The stone pedestal on which formerly stood the ancient cross, still remains near the tower at Newton, in the parish of Wolborough, and is now surmounted by a public lamp. On this pedestal is the following inscription:—
The first declaration of
WILLIAM III., PRINCE OF ORANGE,
The glorious defender of the
Liberties of England,
Was read on this pedestal by