The Prince of Orange with the Lords and Gentlemen, rode from this place unto Sir William Courtenay’s, within a mile of Newton Abbot, the first Line being about Newton, and the last on their march thither. The Place where we encamped was trodden to Dirt, and stuck to our Shoes wretchedly. Now the Regiments marched sundry Roads, of which we were right glad, hoping to meet with better Quarters than the Marl and Clay Crofts. The People came in flocks unto the Cross-ways to see the Army, but especially the Prince. We met with much civility on the Road; now they began to give us Applause, and pray for our Success; sundry Persons enquired for the Declaration of his Highness. Arrived near Newton, the Prince, as Whittle says, went to Ford House, within a short distance of the town, the residence of Sir William Courtenay, who endeavoured cautiously to abstain from doing anything to compromise himself with the King, should the latter prevail, and so managed not to be at home on the Prince’s arrival, but left directions that he should be hospitably lodged and feasted. Here he probably stayed two nights to enable the whole of the troops to come up and be in order for the march to Exeter, to which place Dr. Burnet and Lord Mordaunt with four troops of horse were sent on in advance. The room at Ford House in which the Prince slept is still pointed out; it is called the “Orange room,” and is papered and upholstered in orange. Mr. Blewitt, in the _Panorama of Torquay_, says:—“It is _said_ that his first proclamation was read from the base of the ancient cross at Newton by the Rev. John Reynell, the minister of Wolborough”; and Mr. White, in his valuable _History of Torquay_, published in 1878, repeats this statement as a fact. The stone pedestal on which formerly stood the ancient cross, still remains near the tower at Newton, in the parish of Wolborough, and is now surmounted by a public lamp. On this pedestal is the following inscription:— THE FIRST DECLARATION OF WILLIAM III., PRINCE OF ORANGE, THE GLORIOUS DEFENDER OF THE LIBERTIES OF ENGLAND, WAS READ ON THIS PEDESTAL BY THE REV. JOHN REYNELL, RECTOR OF THIS PARISH, 5TH NOVEMBER, 1688. That the Prince’s declaration was read from the old cross there can be little doubt, but that the inscription cannot be looked upon as much of an authority is clear from the statement that the declaration was read on the 5th; for the Prince’s army did not commence to land at Brixham until that day, and could not have possibly reached Newton until the 7th; and that it is erroneous also in stating that it was read by Reynell is evident from the following very interesting paragraph from Whittle’s Diary:—