A Sermon Preached at White-Hall, Before the King and Queen, on the 29th of April, 1691.

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Of the Sermon on April 29th.

Here in the spring of 1691, at the start of a season of fighting in Ireland, The Bishop of Sarum’, delivers to the King and Queen a ‘Battle Sermon’ calling on Englishmen to support the King in Ireland by fighting, evoking the religious barbarity of the King’s enemies, admonishing his listeners to pray for the King and his forces and reminding them how safe they are at home while the King fights.

“What a Field of Blood, of Death and Desolation, has Ireland been, and alas still is? And yet all this while none of these dreadful Things have broke in upon us. We do indeed feel them a little in our Purses; but ah, how light is this Burden, compared to that which others bear, whose Persons and Houses, their Estates and whole stock, are every day exposed, not only to the Fury of their Enemies, but even to the Violences of those that ought to be their friends.” (Pg. 24)

‘Let us then pray, and pray earnestly to God, that he may go forth with our Fleets and Armies,…that this our Fast may end in Days of Joy and Thanksgiving, that we may be quiet and safe at Home, and his Majesty glorious and victorious Abroad…’  (Pg. 31)

The War in Ireland

Ireland was controlled by Roman Catholics loyal to James, and Franco-Irish Jacobites arrived from France with French forces in March 1689 to join the war in Ireland and contest Protestant resistance at the Siege of Derry. William sent his navy to the city in July, and his army landed in August. After progress stalled, William personally intervened to lead his armies to victory over James at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690, after which James fled back to France.

Upon William’s return to England, his close friend Dutch General Godert de Ginkell, who had accompanied William to Ireland and had commanded a body of Dutch cavalry at the Battle of the Boyne, was named Commander in Chief of William’s forces in Ireland and entrusted with further conduct of the war there. Ginkell took command in Ireland in the spring of 1691, and following several ensuing battles, succeeded in capturing both Galway and Limerick, thereby effectively suppressing the Jacobite forces in Ireland within a few more months. After difficult negotiations a capitulation was signed on 3 October 1691—the Treaty of Limerick. Thus concluded the Williamite pacification of Ireland, and for his services the Dutch general received the formal thanks of the House of Commons, and was awarded the title of Earl of Athlone by the king