The circumstances in which the loyal officers and soldiers of the King's army were placed were of a most painful character. The King had been making rapid advances towards the subversion of the established religion and laws of the kingdom; and loyalty to the sovereign,--a distinguished feature in the character of the British soldier, and the love of the best interests of their native country,--which is inherent in men, were become so opposed to each other, that it appeared necessary for one to be sacrificed. ARRAN'S CUIRASSIERS were, however, spared this painful ordeal by the circumstances which occurred. The King had resolved to remodel his army in England by the dismissal of Protestants and the introduction of Papists, as he had already done in Ireland; but the arrival of the Prince of Orange, with a Dutch army to aid the English nobility in opposing the proceedings of the Court, overturned the King's measures. The loyalty and attachment to the King evinced by the EARL OF ARRAN occasioned him to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, and his regiment was considered one of the corps on which dependence could be placed. It had completed an augmentation of ten men per troop ordered in September, and was selected to remain as a guard near the Queen and the infant Prince of Wales, who was afterwards known as the Pretender: but a defection appearing in the army, the infant Prince was sent to Portsmouth; and the regiment, having been released from its duty of attendance on the Queen, was ordered to march to Salisbury. Many officers and soldiers joined the Prince of Orange, and amongst others, Lord Churchill, Colonel of the third troop of Life Guards; the King gave the Duke of Berwick the command of the third troop of Life Guards; removed the EARL OF ARRAN to the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards; and conferred the Colonelcy of the SIXTH HORSE on the Earl's brother, CHARLES EARL OF SELKIRK, from Guidon and Major in the fourth troop of Life Guards, his commission bearing date the 20th of November, 1688. The desertions which took place alarmed the King and Queen; Her Majesty fled with the infant Prince to France, and was followed by the King. The Prince of Orange assumed the reins of government, and the EARL OF SELKIRK'S regiment was ordered to march to Stamford in Lincolnshire. On the 31st of December, 1688, the Prince of Orange conferred the Colonelcy of the regiment on Colonel Charles Godfrey, who had previously held a commission in the Duke of Monmouth's regiment of horse. [Sidenote: 1689]