Thus the Matter ftood, when the King gave Admiral Ruffel leave to lay it before the Houfe of Commons; to whom accordingly on the 6th of November he communicated the Examination of Sir John Fenwick, and defired he might have leave to juftify himself. This produc'd an Examination of Sir John Fenwick in the Houfe, wherein he was fhy of anfwering, upou pretence of hurting himself, and demanded Security, that what he now confefs'd fhould not appear in Evidence again him. The Anfwer given him by the Houfe was, That there was no Room to doubt, that he should be hurt by what he faid here, fince he had already faid it before the Council; that no Man that dealt candidly with this Houfe, had ever fuffered by it, and that he would gain the Favour of the Houfe by making a full and free Difcovery. He till prevended Fear, and then demanded Time to recollect himself, which the Houfe did not think neceflary to give him, and therefore defired him to speak now. What he faid, imported only, that when he spoke to the Council he had defired a Pardon without being an Evidence, which the King did not refufe, but defired first to know what he had to fay. 'Twas upon this Encouragement, he faid, that he made the Discovery he had done; to which the King anfwered, he ought more fully to make good what he had faid. He pretended he had explained his Informations to the Council, but was ftill told it was not fatisfactory. And in Effect told the Houfe he could go no farther without having a Pardon before hand. In fine, fnch were his Prevarications to avoid making

good the Accufations abovefaid, or difcover what he knew of the Plotters against the Government, that the Houfe, after much Debate, came at laft to a Refolution to attaint him by Act of Parliament.

The Bill to attaint Sir John Fenwick being brought in, many Speeches were made againft it and more for it, till the Queftion be ing put for the Second Reading it was carried in the Affirmative, Yel 196, No's 104. And Council being affigned Sir John Fenwick, be was brought to the Bar on the 12th of November. Where the Bill be ing read and opened by the King's Council, and answered by the P foner's, Three Days Time was giv en to the Prisoner to prepare his Defence. On the 16th, he wa again brought to the Bar, and the the King's Council exhibited the Evidence, viz. Captain Porter, Voce, who depofed, That Sir Jo Fenwick was one of those who fent over Charnock to invite King James, with a French Power, to invade England. And the Depo fition in Writing of Goodman 13 the fame Purpose, fworn expe against Sir John Fenwick before Secretary of State; together w the Record of the fame Gesima" Depofition at Cook's Trial, whe he fwore in open Court, That S John Fenwick was one of the Co pany with Cook as aforefaid. He the King's Council left it; and the the Council for the Prifoner urg what they thought proper aga the Form of Proceeding, but o thing in Defence of the Innocers of their Client. Which being co cluded, they were ordered to w draw, and the Question for C mitment of the Bill being prope another Struggle was made. B when the Queftion was put, it wa carried in the Affirmative, Yeas No's 128.

On

On the 25th of November, the Bill was read the third Time, and then the Question being put that it fhould pafs, occafioned many and long Speeches for and against it; and upon the Queltion it was carried in the Affirmative. Yea's 189, No's 156.

In the Houfe of Lords, the Bill went thro' all the fame Forms with the fame Oppofitions; till in the End the Queftion being put for paffing it, it pafs'd in the Affirmative. Yea's 68, No's 61. And the diffenting Lords entered their Proteft against it.

On the 28th of January Sir John Fenwick was beheaded on TowerHill, denying that he went to that Meeting in Leadenhall-ftreet with Intention to invite King James to invade England, or that he was provided of any Horfe and Arms to affift him declaring alfo that what he had difcovered to a Great Man that came to him in the Tower, he received Knowledge of from France. He faid he had been intrumental in faving the King's Life in 1694, by oppofing a villanous Defign then attempted against it. And finally gave Thanks to thofe who by oppofing the Bill had enleavoured to fave him.

In this Seffion the pretended privileged Places, fuch as White-fryers, the Savoy, Mint, &c. were by Act of Parliament disfranchifed.

The perfecting the feveral Bills epending, took up the rest of the effion, which lafted till April the 6th, On which Day the King ame to the Houfe, paffed the Bills, and made a Speech of Thanks, and hen both Houses were prorogued to he 13th of May.

During the Seffion, the material Franfactions without Doors were hefe. December the 12th, 1696, he King named the Earl of Pemroke, the Lord Villiers, and Sir

Jofeph Williamson, his Plenipoten tiaries for treating of a Peace with France; and Commiffioners were appointed on the 6th of February, to execute the Office of Privy-Seal, during the Abfence of the Earl of Pembroke. The Lord Galway was conftituted one of the Lords Juftices in Ireland; and Sir Charles Porter being dead, John Methuen, Elq: was made Lord Chancellor of that Kingdom. On the 12th of February, the Earl of Ailsbury, who, according to the Oaths of Porter and Goodman, was alfo one of those who fent over Charnock to France, was admitted to Bail.

On the 19th of April, the Earl of Sunderland was made Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houfhold, the Earl of Dorfet, who had held that Place ever fince the King came to the Crown, refigning it in Confideration of a Sum of Money. And on the 22d, the Lord Summers was made Lord High Chancellor. And then the King appointed Lords Juftices, and departed for Holland, April the 26th.

The Parliament of Ireland met July the 27th, to whom the Lords Juftices made a Speech, importing, That a great Debt lay on the Crown, by the Revenue producing fhort of what it was given for. That it was expedient that Limerick and fome other Places be fortified; and that it would be conve nient to build Baraques for the Soldiers, at thofe Places where they are quartered. That the State of the Account of the Money already given, of the Debts, and of the computed Expence of what was now propofed, fhould be laid before the Parliament. And lastly, put them in mind of encouraging Proteftant Strangers to come into the Kingdom, and thereby to promote the Linnen Manufactory. The Commons made a dutiful Addrefs, and D d 2

pro

A. D. proceeded to the Bufinefs propofed 1696. to them. On the 12th of August, they voted 150,000 1. for clearing the Debt to the End of June. And raifed it by continuing the Additional Excife, and by an Act for a Poll Tax, which with feveral other Acts having received the Royal Af fent, on the 4th of December, the Parliament was prorogued to the 10th of May.

The Preparations for a Treaty of Peace were in the mean Time carried on, and the Place of Treaty agreed to be the Palace of Ryfwick, feated in the Mid-way between Delft, and the Hague, the French Plenipotentiaries being to refide at Delft, and thofe of the Confederates at the Hague. The Preliminaries were flated and agreed to on the 10th of February, confifting of 24 Articles; whereof the principal were, That the Treaties of Weftphalia, and Nimeguen, fhould be the Bafis of this. That K. Wil. liam thould be owned by the French King. That Strafburgh, Luxemburg, Mons and Charleroy fhould be refto. red. That all that had been taken by the French in Catalonia fhould be reftored. That Dinant and Phillipsburgh be restored. That the Principality of Orarge and the Dutchy of Deux Ponts, as alfo many Lordfhips in Germany, fhould all be reflored to their proper Owners; and that all the Re- unions made fince the Treaty of Nimeguen be made void.

Charles XI. King of Sweden, had undertaken to be Mediator of this Peace, but it pleafed God to take away the Life of that Prince, on the 5th of April. And his Son Charles XII. being then but 15 Years of Age, the Administration of the Government was given to the Queen and five Senators, till he fhould arrive to the 18th Year of his Age. The Regents willing to

contribute to the Peace, accepted the Mediation in the King's Name, and fo a new Commiffion being fent, that Death did not at all hinder the Progrefs of the Peace. And the Ceremonial being established, the fift Conference was held May the 9th.

The Detail of this Treaty is too large to have Place in this Manual, neither is it neceffary to the Eng lish Hiftorian, except the Articles for our own Nation, the Subftarce whereof we fhall give you when they are concluded; and proceed now to speak of the Operations of the Campaign.

The French Army was first in the Field in Flanders, and on the 16th of May fet down before Auth. King William went to the Army as foon as he heard of it. But the French being more numerous, and Inconveniences lying in the way of making a Diverfion, his Majely declared he would not facrifice the Lives of his Men in relieving a Town, which being taken, mut a few Months hence be restored by Treaty. The fame Argument influenced the Beficged, fo that was furrendered the 5th of Ja Nothing elfe was done in Flanders.

In Catalonia the Duke of Vends befieged Barcelona, both by e and Land. The Prince of H Darmstadt commanded in the Place, and made a brave Resistance. B.: the French made fuch Expedition a fending Reinforcements to the Be ficgers, and the Spaniards were flow in fending Relief to the Efieged, that the City was farrendered by Capitulation, after a nice Weeks Refiftance.

The Conferences for the Peace went on but flowly, thro' the D culties raifed by the feveral Parties And therefore King William, that he might in Earneft know the ad of the French with relation to

felf, fent the Earl of Portland, who as from himself advanced from the Head of our Army towards that of the Enemy, which lay not far off, and in the Mid-way fent to demand a Conference with Marfhal Boers, which being granted, the two Generals, attended by an equal Number of Guards, held a Conference, which was repeated three Times. And at laft (Auguft the 2d) they retired into a Houfe, where they were accommodated with Pen and Ink, and fo adjufted Matters, that on the next Day the King left the Army, and coming to Dieren, dispatched the Lord Portland to acquaint the Confederates, That as to what concerned his Majesty, all Matters were fo adjulled with France, that he defired no Delay might be made in the Peace on that Account.

This probably facilitated the Treaty, for not many Weeks after it was terminated, by the Conclufion of a Peace with France, on the Parts of Spain, England, and Holland, which was figned by the Plenipotentiaries of thofe Nations, September the 20th, N. S. The Minitters of the Emperor, and the Princes of the Empire would not agree to the Terms propofed, but on the contrary protefted against what was done, as being a feparate Peace contrary to the Terms of the Alliances.

The Treaty therefore was continued longer between the Empire and France, but as that Nation alone could not oppofe the whole Strength of France, they agreed to a Ceflation of Arms on the 11th of September, and the 30th of October, the Peace on their Part too was figned.

Upon the Conclufion of this Peace great Blame was laid on the Englib and Dutch, on account of taking too little Care of the Prote

ftant Intereft. The French Refu. gees had Hopes, that at the Conclufion of the Peace they fhould be allowed to return home: But no Notice had been taken of them in the Treaty. And the Proteftant Princes of Germany were enraged to fee the Treaty with the Empire allow, that the Exercife of the Roman Catholick Religion fhould remain fettled in the Places that were to be reftored by France, to their respective Owners, altho' their Minifters contended earnestly for a Claufe in favour to the Proteftant Religion.

The Imperialists fomewhat repined that the Peace was fo foon concluded, because on the very Day they made the Truce with France, Prince Eugene obtained a great Victory over the Turks in Hungary, the News whereof came a few Days after.

And on the other hand, News was come that Pointis, who commanded ' a French Squadron in America, set out at private Expence by the King's Permiffion, and reinforced by Buccaneers and Volunteers at St. Domingo, came before Carthagena, and having taken fome neighbouring Forts, befieged the City both by Sea and Land. The Defence was courageous, but no Relief coming in, the Affailants prevailed, and on the 6th of May the Place was furrendred by Capitulation. The Terms were, that the Garrifon fhould march out, and the Inhabitants depart, but that all the Silver in the Town fhould be the Prey of the Befiegers. 'Twas not practicable to abide there, and therefore they ruined the Fort, and quitted the Town foon after, carrying away an exceffive rich Booty. The English Fleet in thofe Parts commanded by Admiral Nevil, came up with the French in the Streight of Bahama, and were a fuperior Force, But they however

A. D. fo unfkilfully managed it, that the 1697. Enemy got off, and arrived fafe in France, Auguft the 19th.

Soon after the Conclufion of the Peace, the King created the Lord Villiers Earl of Jerfey, and ap. pointed him his Embalador at the Hague. And having concerted fome important Matters with the Elector of Bavaria (fuppofed to be the firft Partition Treaty) and given private Audience to the French Plenipotentiaries in his Clofet, the King returned to England.

The Peace in the mean time was in the ufual Form proclaimed at London, October the 19th, by order of the Lords Juftices. The Subftance of the Articles were as follows:

1. That there be a perpetual Peace between William III. King of Great-Britain, and Lewis XIV. the moft Chriftian King.

2. That Enmities and Hoftilities cease.

3. That all Offences committed during the War be forgiven.

4. The French King engages, that he will afford no Affittance of any fort to the Enemies of K. William: Or any ways moleft him in the Poffeffion of all his Dominions. The King of Great-Britrin promifes reciprocally the fame to the French King.

5. That there be free Commerce between both Nations.

6. That the ordinary Juftice of both Kingdoms fhall be fairly executed and freely claimed by the Subjects of the other Kingdom, according to the Laws of that wherein they refide or have Effects.

7. The moft Chriftian King fhall refore all Places which did belong to England before the War, as the King of Great Britain fhall alfo reftore all that did belong to France before the War. Both to be done in fix Months time,

8. Commiffioners fhall be ap pointed to adjust and determine the Pretenfions of both Nations to the Places in Hudson's Bay. Ex the Places taken by the French du ring the former Peace and retaken by the English during this War, fhall be left to the French, according to the next preceeding Article. The Capitulation of 1696 to be o ferved. Commiffioners to meet in three Months and determine in fix Months all Differences in this Matter.

9. All Letter of Marque and Reprifal fhall be void, and none hereafter be granted.

The 10th declared the times when all Captures at Sea are forbid in the different Parts of the World.

11. The Peace fhall not be broken between the two Kings by any Act of the Subjects of either thro inadvertency, contrary to this Treaty.

12. That in Cafe of future War between the two Kings, the Subjects of either fhall peaceably enjoy ther own, and have fix Months time to withdraw their Effects.

13. That the Principality of 0range be restored to King William, and the French King to be acco table for all the Profits during the time he has been kept cut of it.

14. The Peace concluded at St Germains between the French King and the Elector of Brandenburgh 1679 is reftored.

15. The Treaty between the French and the Duke of Saver CDLfirmed.

16. Those named by either King in fix Months fhall be included in this Treaty; and both Kings expres their Thanks to the King of S den for his Meditation, and comprehend him in the best Manner in the Peace.

17. The Ratification of this A liance fhall be delivered by both Far