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THe First Prince of the Blood (in France called Monsieur sans queue) is the Most Illustrious Prince James Duke of York, Second Son to King Charles the Martyr, and only Brother to the present King our Soveraign.
He was born Octob. 14. 1633, and forth-with proclaimed at the Court Gates Duke of York; the 24th of the same moneth was baptized, and afterward committed to the Government of the then Countess of Dorset.
The 27th of July 1643 at Oxford was created by Letters Patents Duke of York (though called so by special command from his Birth) without those Solemnities (the iniquity of the times not admitting there∣of) that were used to the King his Father 1605, when being Second Son to King James, and so Duke of Albany in Scotland, was created Duke of York with the preceding So∣lemn Creation of divers young Noblemen to be Knights of the Bath, and the Robes of
State put upon him, the Cap of State on his Head, and the Gol∣den Rod into his Hand, the Prime Nobility and Heralds assisting at that Ceremony.
After the Surrender of Ox∣ford his Royal Highness was in 1646 conveyed to London by the then prevailing disloyal part of the Two Houses of Par∣liament, and committed with his Brother Glocester and Sister Elizabeth to the care of the Earl of Northumberland.
In 1648 aged about 15, was by Colonel Bampfield conveyed in a disguise or habit of a Girle beyond Sea, first to his Sister the Princess Royal of Orenge in Holland, and afterward to the Queen his Mother then at Pa∣ris, where he was carefully e∣ducated in the Religion of the
Church of England, and in all Exercises meet for such a Prince.
About the Age of 20 in France he went into the Cam∣pagne, and served with much Gallantry under that great Commander the Protestant Mareschal de Turenne for the French King against the Spanish forces in Flanders.
Notwithstanding which, up∣on a Treaty between the French King and Cromwell in 1655, being obliged with all his reti∣nue to leave the French Domi∣nions, and invited into Flan∣ders by Don Juan of Austria, he there served under him a∣gainst the French King, then leagued with the English Re∣bels against Spain; where his Magnanimity and Dexterity in
Martial Affairs (though unsuc∣cessful) were very eminent.
In the year 1660 came over with the King into England, and being Lord High Admiral in the year 1665, in the War against the Vnited States of the Netherlands, commanded in person the whole Royal Navy on the Seas between England and Holland, where with incompa∣rable valour and extraordinary hazard of his own Royal Per∣son, after a most sharp dispute he obtained a Signal Victory o∣ver the whole Dutch Fleet com∣manded by Admiral Opdam, who perisht with his own and many more Ships in that Fight.
He married Anne the eldest Daughter of Edward Earl of Clarendon, late Lord High Chancellour of England, by
whom he hath had a numerous issue, whereof are living, first the Lady Mary, born 30 April 1662, whose Godfather was Prince Rupert, and Godmothers the Dutchesses of Buckingham and Ormond. Secondly, the Lady Anne born in Febr. 1664, whose Godfather was Gilbert Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, her Godmothers were the young Lady Mary her Sister and the Dutchess of Monmouth. She is lately for her health tran∣sported into France. Thirdly, 15 Sept. 1667 was born Edgar, lately created Duke of Cam∣bridge by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England, whose Godfathers were the Duke of Albemarle and the Marquiss of Worcester, his Godmother the Countess of Suffolk.
The Titles of his Royal Highness are Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulster, Lord High Admiral of Eng∣land, Ireland, and all Foreign Plantations, Constable of Do∣ver Castle, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Governour of Portsmouth, &c.
NExt to the Duke of York and his Issue is William of Nassau Prince of Orenge, only Issue of the lately decea∣sed Princess Royal Mary, eldest Daughter to King Charles the First, and wedded 1641 to
William of Nassau, Comman∣der in Chief of all the Forces of the States General both by Land and by Sea.
His Highness the present Prince was born 9 dayes after his Fathers death on the 14th Novemb. 1650, had for God∣fathers the Lords States General of Holland and Zealand, and the Cities of Delft, Leyden, and Amsterdam.
His Governess was the Lady Stanhop, then wife to the Heer van Hemvliet.
At 8 years of age was sent to the University of Leyden.
His Revenue is about 60000 l. Sterling, besides Mi∣litary Advantages enjoyed by his Father and Ancestors, which amounted yearly to a∣bout 30000 l. Sterling more.
He is a Prince in whom the high and princely qualities of his Ancestors already appear.
THe next Heir (after the fore-named) to the English Crown, is the Princess Henretta, only Sister living to the present King of England.
She was born the 16th of June 1644 at Exeter during the heat of the late Rebellion, after the surrender of Exeter conveyed to Oxford, and thence 1646 to London, whence with her Governess the Lady Dal∣kieth, she escaped into France,
was there educated as became her high Birth and Quality, but being left wholly to the care and maintenance of the Queen her Mother at Paris, em∣braced the Romish Religion.
At the age of 16 years came with the Queen Mother into England, and 6 moneths after returning into France, was married to the only Brother of the French King the Illustrious Prince Philip then Duke of An∣jou, till the death of his Uncle, and now Duke of Orleans, whose Revenue is 1100000 Livres Tournois, besides his Appanage, not yet setled.
Her Portion was 40000 l. Sterling, her Joynture to be the same with the present Dut∣chess Dowager of Orleans.
This Princess hath issue one Daughter, if she hath a Son, the French King allows him 50000 Crowns yearly, and the Appanage after the death of the present Duke reverts to the Crown.
THere being left alive no more of the Off-spring of King Charles the First, the next Heirs of the Crown of England are the Issue and De∣scendants of Elizabeth late Queen of Bohemia, only Sister to the said King, who was married to Frederick Prince Pa∣latine
of the Rhine, afterwards stiled King of Bohemia, whose eldest Son living is Charles Lo∣dowick Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhine, commonly called the Palsgrave, from the High Dutch pfaltzgraff, Palatii Co∣mes, was born the the 22th December 1617 at Heydelberg, and afterwards in Holland at the Hague, and at the University of Leyden, was educated in a Princely manner. At the age of 18 years came into England, was created Knight of the Gar∣ter, about two years after fought a Battel in Westphalia. In the year 1637 passing incog∣nito thorow France to take possession of Brisach upon the Rhine, which the Duke Saxon Weymar intended to deliver up unto him, together with the
Command of his Army, he was by that quick-sighted Cardinal Richlieu discovered at Moulins, and thence sent back Prisoner to the Bois de Vincen∣nes, whence after 23 weeks imprisonment he was by the mediation of the King of Eng∣land set at liberty.
In the year 1643 he came a∣gain into England, and with the Kings secret consent (be∣cause the King could not conti∣nue unto him the wonted Pen∣sion, whilst the Rebels possest the greatest part of his Maje∣sties Revenues) made his Ad∣dresses to, and abode with the disloyal part of the Lords and Commons at Westminster, un∣til the Murder of the said King and the Restauration of the Lower Palatinat, according to
the famous Treaty at Munster, for which he was constrained to quit all his right to the Upper Palatinat, and accept of an Eighth Electorship, at a juncture of time when the King of Eng∣land (had he not been enga∣ged at home by an impious Re∣bellion) had been the most considerable of all other at that Treaty, and this Prince his Nephew would have had the greatest advantages there.
In 1650 he espoused the La∣dy Charlotte, Daughter to the Landgrave of Hessen, by which Lady he hath one Son named Charles, aged about 16, and one Daughter aged about 14.
NExt to the Issue of the Prince Elector Palatin is Prince Rupert, born at Prague 27 Novemb. 1619, not long before that very unfortunate Battel there fought, whereby not only all Bohemia was lost, but the Palatin Family was for almost 30 years dispossest of all their Possessions in Germany.
At 13 years of age he marcht with the then Prince of Orenge to the Siege of Rhine∣berg; afterwards in England was created Knight of the Garter.
At the age of 18 he com∣manded a Regiment of Horse in the German Wars, and in a Battel being taken by the Im∣perialists under the Command of Count Hatzfield, he con∣tinued a prisoner above three years.
In 1642 returning into Eng∣land, and made General of the Horse to the King, fights and defeats Collonel Sands near Worcester, routed the Rebels Horse at Edge-hill, took Ci∣rencester, recovered Lichfield and Bristol, raised the long Siege before Latham House, fought the great Battel at Mar∣ston Moor; was created Earl of Holderness, and Duke of Cum∣berland, after the extinction of the Male Line of the Cliffords. Finally, the Kings forces at
land being totally defeated, he transported himself into France, and was afterward made Admi∣ral of such Ships of War as submitted to King Charles the Second, to whom after divers disasters at Sea, and wonderful preservations, he returned to Paris 1652, where and in Ger∣many, sometimes at the Em∣perours Court, and sometimes at Heydelberg, he passed his time in Princely Studies and Exercises till the Restauration of his Majesty now raigning; after which returning into Eng∣land, was made a Privy Coun∣sellour in 1662, and in 1666 being joyned Admiral with the Duke of Albemarle, first at∣tackt the whole Dutch Fleet with his Squadron, in such a bold resolute way that he put
the Enemy soon to flight. He enjoys a Pension from his Majesty of 4000 l. per Annum.
After Prince Rupert the next Heirs to the Crown of England are 3 French Ladies, Daugh∣ters of Prince Edward lately deceased, who was a younger Son of the Queen of Rehemia, whose Widdow the Princess Dowager Mother to the said three Ladies is Sister to the late Queen of Poland, Daughter and Coheir to the last Duke of Nevers in France, amongst which three Daughters there is a Revenue of about 12000 l. Sterling a year.
After these is the Princess Elizabeth eldest Sister living to
the Prince Elector Palatin, born 26 Decemb. 1618. unmarried and living in Germany.
The next is another Sister, called the Princess Louisa, bred up at the Hague with the Queen her Mother in the Reli∣gion of the Church of England, at length embracing the Romish Religion, is now Lady Abbess of Maubisson at Ponthoise, not far from Paris.
Last of all is the Princess Sophia, youngest Daughter to the Queen of Bohemia, born at the Hague 1630. and in 1659 wedded to John Duke of Lunenberg, and Free Prince of Germany, Heir to the Dutchy of Brunswick, by whom she hath Sons and Daughters.
Of these three Princesses it is said, that the first is the most learned, the second the greatest Artist, and the last one of the most accomplisht La∣dies in Europe.