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When William of Orange came to Hungerford

Dr. Hugh Pihlens

When William of Orange came to Hungerford

Dr. Hugh Pihlens The Bear Hotel,

Hungerford Dating from 13th century The Bear Hotel, Hungerford

WILLIAM AND MARY

On 7th December 1688 William of Orange arrived at The Bear on his march from Torbay to London meeting here on the morning of the 8th James II’s Commissioners Lords Halifax Godolphin and Nottingham HUNGERFORD CELEBRATION 1688-1988 Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries

Religion

the source of much conflict The Tudor Royal Family

• 1509-1547 Henry VIII Reformation across Europe (Martin Luther 1517) 1531 – proclaimed himself head of the new protestant Church of England. Began the dissolution of the monasteries

• 1547-1553 Edward VI Even more fanatical Protestant. Completed the dissolution of the monasteries and priories

• 1553-1558 Mary I Daughter of Catherine of Aragon An ardent Catholic – “Bloody Mary” – over 280 dissenters burned at the stake

• 1558-1603 Elizabeth I Protestant again! No heir. There was trouble ahead…! James I, 1603-1625

• Protestant – and only partly tolerant. Lots of plots, especially…

• 5th November 1605 - Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

• 1605 Popish Recusants Act

• Relative tolerance – only a few prosecutions

• Died 1625, succeeded by his son Charles… Charles I, 1625-1649

• Covert Catholic

• Married Catholic of France

• The Divine Right of Kings to govern

• Absolutism – the supremacy of the Crown over all individuals

• Since the Reformation a century earlier, most citizens were Protestant

• The English Civil War, 1642-1649 The English Civil War, 1642-49

• Crown v Parliament

• Catholic v Protestantism

• 100,000 died

• King Charles I was beheaded Charles I beheaded, 30 Jan 1649 The Commonwealth, 1649-1660

• Puritans

• Cromwell died 1658

• Son Richard took over – badly!

• Support for the Crown grew

Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector Charles II, 1660-1685

• Eldest surviving child of Charles I • Returned from exile in France on his 30th birthday • A sigh of relief – back to normal? • But.. excessive expenditure • Believed in absolutism – the Divine Right of Kings

• 1665 – Great Plague of London • 1666 – Great Fire of London

• 1672 – Declaration of Indulgence (of Catholics) • 1673 – The Test Act

• 1681 – Dissolved Parliament

• 1685 – Charles II died

• No legitimate children – the heir presumptive was his younger brother James James II, 1685-1688

• 1668 – converted to Catholicism!

• Divine Right of Kings to govern

• 1671 - First wife Anne Hyde died

• 1673 – Married (Catholic)

• James dissolved Parliament

• Increasing unrest, but

• Who would inherit the Crown? James, with Anne Hyde, Mary and Anne

• Anne Hyde – Protestant.

• Many children (8+) but all died young except….

• Two daughters • Mary (b.1662) • Anne (b. 1665)

• Both were brought up as Anglicans (as commanded by Charles II) Mary

• Mary (b.1662)

• 1677: Mary (aged 15) married her 1st cousin – protestant William III of Orange

• They lived in

Mary, the day before her wedding Prince William of Orange

• His mother was daughter of Charles I, sister of Charles II

• Protestant

• From 1672 - Stadholder – national leader of the Netherlands, influential, ambitious

• Many wars with France

• 1677 – Married Mary, elder daughter of James II and Anne Hyde. Lived in Netherlands.

• 1684-86 - William & Mary built Het Loo palace Het Loo Palace, Apeldoorn, Netherlands Het Loo Palace, Apeldoorn, Netherlands Everything changes in 1688

• April 1688: King James II re-issued the Declaration of Indulgence (of Catholics), subsequently ordering Anglican clergy to read it in their churches

• But, the situation was only “temporary” - first in line of succession was Mary, married to William III of Orange

• 1687 Mary of Modena became pregnant

• April 1688 – William starts making plans to invade.

• 10 Jun 1688 – Mary of Modena has a son – James Francis Edward Stuart

• Mary (Prince William’s wife) is no longer first in line to the English throne William has to consider invading to claim the throne of England

• 29 Jun 1688 – trial of Seven Bishops (who had publicly opposed the Declaration of Indulgence) – found not guilty

• 30 Jun 1688 – The “Immortal Seven” sent William a formal invitation to the throne

• William progressed his invasion plans William’s invasion force is assembled

• Were the Netherlands safe from attack by Louis XIV? • How to cross the North Sea? • What about the weather? • Would James II defend with force? • How would the country react? • Should he take everything with him?

• Appointed English Admiral Arthur Herbert to command fleet • His own coach, printing press, food, 10,000 pairs of spare boots, clothing (9,000 spare coats), beer, water, brandy, tobacco, bullion (including 3 month’s pay for the soldiers), mint, even a portable bridge! • 11,200 foot soldiers, 4,050 cavalry soldiers • A total of 8,000 horses, and 35,000 men! • 52 fighting ships, 250 transport ships, 50 fishing boats William’s invasion force sets sail

• October – in the North Sea!

• 19 October – set sail “during the silence of the night” • Driven into a storm • 1,000 horses suffocated when they “battened down the hatches” • The naval chaplain reported “you could hear the men groan after a pitiful manner”. • They returned to Hellevoetsluis to re-provision.

• 1 November – set sail again. Departure from Hellevoetsluis 1 Nov 1688 after Abraham Storck National Maritime Museum Crossing the North Sea William landing at Torbay Brixham From Torbay to Salisbury

• Torbay → Exeter – no resistance, but no enthusiasm or support either

• But could he conquer 8 million people with 35,000 men? King James decides to negotiate

• King James returned to London for advice and consultation.

• He was forced to agree to negotiation. James appointed 3 Commissioners

• He appointed his three Commissioners: • George Savile, Marquis of Halifax, • Daniel Finch, Earl of Nottingham and • Sidney, Earl of Godolphin.

• All were moderate supporters of the King, but

• None was keen about this mission! Agreeing where to meet

• 2 Dec – the Commissioners left London with 10 personal servants each.

• The royal trumpeter!

• They agreed on Hungerford. Lords Halifax, Nottingham & Goldolphin stayed at Ramsbury Manor

• Thurs 6 Dec – the Commissioners arrived at Ramsbury Manor (built in 1683 for Charles II’s Attorney General, Sir William Jones). William reaches Hamstead Marshall House The Hungerford negotiations, Dec 1688

• Thurs 6th - William arrived and spent the night at The Bear

• Sat 8th – 10.00am Lords Halifax, Nottingham & Godolphin arrived

• Halifax handed William a letter from James II Prince William stays at Littlecote

• William retired to Littlecote

• Both teams went on negotiating

• Frustration / delays / vote

• William was immovable Both teams dined at Littlecote

• Sun 9 Dec – both teams dined in the Great Hall

• Final discussions William’s proposals

• All Catholics in official positions should be removed

• There must be assurance of personal safety of William’s adherents

• Both armies should be no nearer than 40 miles to London

• The Tower of London and Tilbury fort should be put in the hands of the City of London

• James must pay, out of revenue, for the maintenance of William’s troops The

• 11 Dec 1688 – William left Littlecote for Oxford, then London • 13 Feb 1689 – William declared King • 11 April 1689 – William and Mary both Crowned Kensington Palace Hampton Court Palace

Fountain Court by Sir Christopher Wren William & Mary’s reign

• Last person to have successfully invaded England by force

• 1690 Battle of the Boyne, and several Jacobite Risings

• 1694 Mary died of smallpox leaving William to rule alone

• 1702 William died – his horse stumbled in a mole-hole

• “To the little gentleman in black velvet”!

• Succeeded by Anne (Mary’s younger sister, the second daughter of Anne Hyde and James II). The importance of the Glorious Revolution • Britain became the most stable state in Europe

• Civil List separated the King’s money from national expenditure

• Political parties – Whigs and Tories

• The end of the struggles between King and Parliament

• Power was passing from the crown to the nobility and gentry

• They were able to enjoy it for 150 years before they too had to concede power to the people!

• Only with the Reform Acts of the 19th century and Suffrage Acts of the 20th century did we achieve real democracy!

• The Glorious Revolution was the biggest step on this journey The Constable of Hungerford

• Joseph Butler, mercer.

Here lieth the body of Mr. JOSEPH BUTLER who died 17th June 1693 aged 45 years The commemorative plaque on The Bear Hotel