Editing Glorious Revolution (section)

===Embarkation of the army and the Declaration of The Hague===
[[File:William III Landing at Brixham, Torbay, 5 November 1688.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|William III by [[Jan Wyck]], commemorating the landing at Brixham, Torbay, 5 November 1688]]

The Dutch preparations, though carried out with great speed, could not remain secret. The English envoy [[Ignatius White]], the Marquess d'Albeville, warned his country: "an absolute conquest is intended under the specious and ordinary pretences of religion, liberty, property and a free Parliament". Louis threatened an immediate declaration of war if William proceeded and sent James 300,000&nbsp;livres.{{Sfn|Western|1972|p=259}}

Embarkations, begun on 22 September ([[Gregorian calendar]]), had been completed on 8 October, and the expedition was that day openly approved by the States of Holland; the same day James issued a proclamation to the English nation that it should prepare for a Dutch invasion to ward off conquest. On 30 September/10 October ([[Julian calendar|Julian]]/Gregorian calendars) William issued the ''Declaration of The Hague'' (actually written by Fagel), of which 60,000&nbsp;copies of the English translation by Gilbert Burnet were distributed after the landing in England,<ref>{{Harvnb|Jardine|2008|p=29}}; {{Harvnb|Williams|1960|pp=10–16}}.</ref> in which he assured that his only aim was to maintain the Protestant religion, install a free parliament and investigate the legitimacy of the Prince of Wales. He would respect the position of James.{{Efn|William declared:

{{Blockquote|It is both certain and evident to all men, that the public peace and happiness of any state or kingdom cannot be preserved, where the Laws, Liberties, and Customs, established by the lawful authority in it, are openly transgressed and annulled; more especially where the alteration of Religion is endeavoured, and that a religion, which is contrary to law, is endeavoured to be introduced; upon which those who are most immediately concerned in it are indispensably bound to endeavour to preserve and maintain the established Laws, Liberties and customs, and, above all, the Religion and Worship of God, that is established among them; and to take such an effectual care, that the inhabitants of the said state or kingdom may neither be deprived of their Religion, nor of their Civil Rights.|[[William III of England|William III of Orange]]{{Sfn|Speck|1989|p=74}}}}}}

William went on to condemn James's advisers for overturning the religion, laws, and liberties of England, Scotland, and Ireland by the use of the suspending and dispensing power; the establishment of the "manifestly illegal" commission for ecclesiastical causes and its use to suspend the [[Bishop of London]] and to remove the Fellows of [[Magdalen College, Oxford]]. William also condemned James's attempt to repeal the [[Test Act]]s and the penal laws through pressuring individuals and waging an assault on parliamentary boroughs, as well as his purging of the judiciary. James's attempt to pack Parliament was in danger of removing "the last and great remedy for all those evils".{{Sfn|Speck|1989|pp= 74–75}}

[[File:Het oorlogsschip Brielle op de Maas voor Rotterdam Rijksmuseum SK-A-2539.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.0|left|William boarding ''Den Briel'']]

"Therefore", William continued, "we have thought fit to go over to England, and to carry over with us a force sufficient, by the blessing of God, to defend us from the violence of those evil Counsellors&nbsp;... this our Expedition is intended for no other design, but to have, a free and lawful Parliament assembled as soon as is possible".{{Sfn|Speck|1989|pp= 74–75}} On [[Old Style and New Style dates|4/14]] October, William responded to the allegations by James in a second declaration, denying any intention to become king or to conquer England, a claim which remains controversial.{{Sfn|Troost|2001|p=199}}

The swiftness of the embarkations surprised all foreign observers. Louis had in fact delayed his threats against the Dutch until early September because he assumed it then would be too late in the season to set the expedition in motion anyway, if their reaction proved negative; typically, such an enterprise would take at least some months.{{Sfn|Rodger|2004|p=137}} Being ready after the last week of September / first week of October would normally have meant that the Dutch could have profited from the last spell of good weather, as the autumn storms tend to begin in the third week of that month. However, this year they came early. For three weeks, the invasion fleet was prevented by adverse south-westerly gales from departing from the naval port of [[Hellevoetsluis]] and Catholics all over the Netherlands and the British kingdoms held prayer sessions that this "popish wind" might endure. However, on [[Old Style and New Style dates|14/24]]&nbsp;October, it became the famous "[[Protestant Wind]]" by turning to the east.{{Sfn|Jones|1973|pp=201–221}}