ent parts of the city, and immediately proceeded to break into and pillage thofe houfes of the principal stadtholderians, in which they expected to find the most valuable plunder. The first house which became a victim to their rapacity was that of M. de Rendorp, who had himself, through a fortune fo fingular as not eafily to be accounted for, efcaped the fiery ordeal of the last reform of the regency, and ftill retained his office of burgomafter.

In the mean time, the Cattemburgers having been driven to their own quarter, where they drew up the bridge, and ftood upon its defence, perceiving how their friends were used in the city, whether upon a principle of retaliation, or of mere rapine, began incontinently to plunder the houses of those of the adverse faction who refided among them. Nothing less than the actual fack of a capital, could afford a juft idea of the fcene of confufion and terror, which the pacific and great commercial city of Amfterdam now presented. Drums refounded in every part, not only to affemble the armed burghers, but to call the four regiments of city militia (who compofe a very numerous and well armed body) to their colours. Artillery were dragged forward on both fides, and several discharges, both of them and of mufketry, took place from the oppofite fides of the canal which feparated the hoftile parties. The cable which fupported the drawbridge being at length cut, the pafs was forced, the Cattemburgers foon routed, and were fucceffively. expofed to military rage, and to civil execution.

On the following day the depredations on the friends of the ftadtholder were renewed with fresh vio

lence; while the city police feemed to be entirely taken up with two favourite objects; the one being to punish the Cattemburgers, and the other (which was even, if poffible, more eagerly fought) to procure fuch evidence, as might enable them to bring a charge against the prince of Orange, that all the mifchief had originated with him; an attempt in which they failed, notwithstanding the terror which preffed upon the minds of the unhappy perions who were the objects of the fcrutiny. In the mean time Amfterdam was deferted by numbers of its most refpectable and opulent citizens; not a few of whom, defpairing of any return of order and fecurity, retired, with whatever they could fave of their wealth, to foreign countries. Others, who flood the brunt, and endeavoured to weather the ftorm, had their windows lined with musketeers, and two pieces of cannon were planted before the great mercantile houfe of the Hope's for its protection. In the mean time all bufinefs was at an end, the countinghouses fhut up, the principal merchants removing their effects to their country feats, a total ftop put to paper currency of whatever fort, and all orders from the banks for money rejected. It was reported that fourteen of the ftadtholder's party were hanged in the streets, without any form or pretence of trial; but the reports propagated in fuch fituations, of violence and mutual animofity, are little to be relied on as to particular facts, tho fuch events are their natural confequences.

We have already feen the decided part taken by the ftates general against thofe of Holland, by taking the refractory officers into their x

protec

protection, and into the public pay. This was undoubtedly a mortification, but was foon fucceeded by others much greater, and of a nature not a little alarming. For the states general iffued an order to general Van Reyffel, who commanded the troops of Holland, to break up the cordon or line which they formed on the frontiers of Utrecht, under pain to him and them, of inftant dif

miffion from the fervice. The ftates of Holland immediately iffued counter orders, charging Van Reyffel and his officers, under the fame penalty, to preserve their flation. Both parties now feemed difpofed to carry this civil hoftility to its utmoft extreme; for while the ftates general fufpended Van Reyffel from the command of the army, the ftates of Holland voted him full fupport, protection, and the most complete indemnity from all confequences,

It

Thefe measures were followed by another very important event. was no less than a revolt of a great majority of the troops of Holland from the orders and jurifdiction of their masters the states of that province.

We have before had occafion to obferve, that the, army in general held difpofitions very favourable to the interefts of the prince of Orange. This had been lately confirmed, with refpect to the officers, by their refufal, at the risque of their commiffions, to comply with the propofed teft. The difpofition of the private men remained, however, ftill doubtful; and, whatever it might be, required the operation of fome active agent, to excite its vifible exertion; at the fame time, that the late augmentation of their pay by the ftates, a measure fo uni

verfally powerful in its effect upon foldiers, feemed to preclude all hope of fuccefs in fuch an experi

ment.

Colonel Balneavis (of a noble family in Scotland) had been among the first of thofe officers who refuted to obey the orders of the flates, and had accordingly retired from his regiment; but now, confiding probably in the June 10th,

affection of his men, 1787. he returned to them at Oudewater, and not only induced them, but a battalion of another regiment who were ftationed along with them in that fortrefs, to march off with their artillery, and to join the stadtholder. This fpirited and dangerous adventure ferved as a general fignal of revolt, and the example feemed inftantly to infect the whole line, fo that in less than a week the cordon was broken up, the frontiers of Holland left defenceless, and about two thirds of their troops were gone over to the ftadtholder.

The alarm and confufion which this mifadventure occafioned, in such a seafon and ftate of things, when the pride and affected fuperiority of Holland had not only difgufted, but nearly excited a general confederacy against her, will be eafily conceived. The volunteers and armed burghers were now the only refuge, and they were immediately called out to fupply the place of the troops, and to take up arms in the defence of their country. The ftates allowed them pay and maintenance; and, as a last refort, in a cafe of fuch imminent danger, they appointed a commiffion of defence, being a kind of field or military deputies, who were to be ftationed at Woerden, and to act in concert with general

Van

Van Reyffel, in all fuch meafures as tended to the public defence, and particularly in retaining, if poffible, the remainder of their troops from desertion. The city of Amfterdam, in the mean time, fent a detachment of armed burghers to fecure the fluices at Muyden; and fimilar means were used at Har

lém.

The fates of Holland, notwithftanding thefe misfortunes, found it fo difficult to recede, in any degree, from their ufual haughtinefs, and were fo much irritated against the flates general, that it was propofed, and eagerly debated in their affem bly, that the deputies of the four provinces of Zealand, Friefland, Utrecht, and Guelderland, fhould be commanded to depart from their refidence at the Hague. The more moderate part, however, confidered that this would be fo glaring and unexampled a violation of the union, and in all refpects fo defperate a measure, that they prevented its being adopted; though it feemed that the queftion was rather laid by for the prefent, than

that the propofal was abfolutely re jected.

An expedient was, however, reforted to as a fubftitute (and in fome meafure a lefs violent one) than the expulfion of a majority of the ftates general from the Hague. This was to engage their dependent allies, the government of Utrecht, who had long refufed any obedience to the provincial states at Amersfort, and treated them upon every occafion with the utmoit contempt, to proceed to the last extremity of deping, fo far as they could, that flembly, by declaring it illegal, and incapable of its functions, and electing a new fet of ftates from among themfelves, who were to be confidered as the reprefentative of the whole province.

But an extraordinary and unforefeen event was now to take place, which was totally to change the nature of the le contefts, to introduce new actors upon the ftage, and nearly to abforb in its magnitude, even the remembrance of thefe petty violences and hoftilities.

CHAP.