knew him moft intimately, difchared him of any Crime in it, which eing (poken of in the Houfe, and he Perfon from whom it came enying it, Sir Richard was voted he Author of an Afperfion, and ommitted.

Upon the 15th of Dec. it was reolved, That a Bill be brought in to pply all the forfeited Eitates and nterefts in Ireland, and all the Rents nd Revenues accrued to the Crown nce Feb. 13, 1688, to the Ufe of e Publick. They refolved alfo, 'hat no Petitions fhould be received uching the Grants or forfeited tates. Jan. 18. and Feb. 13. they alled fevere Votes against thofe that id procured, and the Minifters that id paffed, Grants of the forfeited tates. And lastly, they voted, hat the forfeited Eftates fhould be plyed for the paying off the Ary. It was ordered, That the Rert with the feveral Votes now ade and thofe in former Years reing to the forfeited Eftates, fhould printed and publifhed. To fere the paffing of this Bill, it was ked to the Land Tax; however Attempt was made of dropping in the Houfe of Lords, which t the Houfe of Commons into ch a Ferment, that the King fent the Lords to pafs it without the mendments, which they had made it. Upon the Bufinefs of the Supply was voted, That 7000 Men fhould the Guard at Sea next Year, and Provision was made for their Pay. hat 90,000 be raised for the exordinary Charge of the Navy; 001. for Bounty Money to the Sicers of the Fleet; 25,000. for Ordnance, and 300,000 . for ards and Garrifons, which they fd by a Land-Tax of 25. per Pound, d by continuing feveral Dus at the Custom Houfe. The oufe alfo made a Provifion for

paying a Debt due to his Royal Highnefs upon his Marriage Settlement.

Upon Occafion of the Lords attempting to throw out the Refumption Bill, the Commons voted an Addrefs to the King, That no Perfon, who was not a Native of his Dominions, except his Royal Highnefs, be admitted to his Majesty's Councils. This was voted April the 10th, 1700. But the King thought fit to prevent their prefenting it, by coming to the Houfe the next Day and paffing all the other Acts that were ready, among which was an Act for continuing the Old East India Company a Corporation. And then the Parliament were prorogued to the 23d of May. It was remarkable, that the King made no Speech to them, for indeed they had ufed him too hardly to expect his Thanks as usual.

Another Matter which gave the King Disturbance was the Affair of the Scotch Eaft-India Company. A Petition from them to the King was fent to London in December, in behalf of a Captain of one of their Ships, who went into Cartagena to refit, and was there detained with thirteen of his Men, and very hardly treated. But the Lord Bafil Hamilton, who brought it, having not waited upon his Majefty, when he was formerly at London, or given any Teftimony of having owned his Government, the King would not admit him to his Prefence, but allowed him to deliver it to the Secretary. And the King anfwered the Company, that he would demand of the King of Spain the Release of the Captain and his Crew. The Company were nettled at the denying accefs to the Lord Hamilton, and expoftulated upon it, but to no Purpofe; for on the 12th of February the Houfe of Lords in England prefented an Addreis to the King,

reprefenting that the Scots Settlement at Darien might tend to the great Prejudice of England, and poffibly the Disturbance of the Peace with Spain. And faid as much as decently could be to difcourage them from proceeding in that Af fair, having already voted, that the Settlement at Darien was inconfiftent with the Good of the Plantation Trade. Soon after the Scots made a national Addrefs upon this Affair, with large Subfcriptions, which was prefented to the King on the 25th of March.

During the Sitting of the Parliament, the fecond Partition Treaty was made, whereby the Archduke Charles was to have all the Spanish Monarchy, except what was by the former Treaty affigned to the Dauphin; and the Duke of Lorrain was to have Milan inftead of his own Country, which was to be given to France.

The King made a Step now which occafioned much Cenfure from his old Friends; the Lord Sommers had been attacked in the Houfe of Commons this Sellion, but the Majority appeared in his Favour, and fo the Question for an Addrefs to the King to remove him from his Councils, paffed in the Negative. Whether for this Reason, or in hopes by changing the Miniftry he might gain the Favour of the Party in the Houfe, which appeared fo much against the Court, the King was pleafed to take the Great Seal from the Lord Sommers, and on the 2t of May to give it to Sir Nathan Wright.

A new Favourite had of late grown up at Court, Mr. Keppel, whom the King created Earl of Al bemarle, and now further honoured by the beltowing on him a Garter; in which Order he, together with the Lord Pembroke, were initalled

5. And foon after the Lord

Jersey was made Lord Chamberlain.

The Parliament of Scotland met on the 21st of May, to whom the Duke of Queensbury the High Commillioner delivered the King's Le ter, which contained in general Terms, Affurances of his Favour and Protection, defiring that the Forces be maintained, and a Supply given for that Purpose, and reterring what was neceifary to be done to the High Commiffioner. The Council General of the African and Indian Company immediately made a Representation to the Parliament of their Cafe; and an Addreis en their Behalf from one County was the next Day prefented to the Hot, and many other Counties and festral particular Perfons were prepar ing the fame, against pretended Grievances, which came in apace ; and a Vote was propofed in the Houfe, That the Colony of Ca donia in Darien was a Legal and Rightful Settlement, and that the Parliament would maintain and port it. All which gave Occala to the High Commiffioner to journ the Parliament for three Days. and afterwards for a longer ne This gave fuch Offence, the a Number of the Members drew an Addrefs to the King, compas ing of it; which being pretend the King would have put it of, faying he would consider of it. but the Commiflioners who bro it, waited upon him again for a Anfwer; which however he e clined to give at prefent. The Scots formed another national. drefs, which occafioned the A to write a Letter to the Privy Co cil, wherein he declared his So for the Nation's Lofs, and his lingness to give any poñible Re exhorting them to confider own Security, and avoid Diffe that might give Advan age to mies; and concluding with tel:

them, his Occafions calling him abroad was the Reafon of this Adjournment.

The Rancour which the Scots conceived against this ill Ufage, as they esteemed it, from the English, continued with fuch Virulence, that it had like to have produced very ill Effects, as will be feen in the courfe of this Hiftory.

The King having on the 27th of June appointed Lords Juftices, foon after went over into Holland.

It was this Summer that the Nation loft that growing Hopes of it, the illuftrious Prince William Duke of Gloucester. His Highnefs having been more than ordinary Active at the publick Entertainment on his Birth Day, wherein to gratify the Ladies he danced much, and being oo negligent of himfelf when he vas hot, he was taken ill the next Jay, which proved a Fever, and acreafed daily in its Malignity, ill on the fifth Day of his Sicknels, July 29, his Highnefs expired, to he unspeakable Grief of his Parents. And that the whole Nation did not fficiently bewail him, can be. aly attributed to his being Unnown; for this young Prince was ndowed with all thofe excellent Qualities that render Men valuable a the World. His Mind was as levated as his Fortune, and his Virtue and Genius as fuperior as is Birth The Number of his Years as yet but Ten. But his Proficicy in Knowledge, and Manlinefs Behaviour, was equal to almoft ouble that Age. Befides a fur. rifing Proficiency in Languages, hereof Latin and French were failiar to him, he had a great Knowdge in History, Geography, and le Military Arts: And had fo quick Genius and docile a Temper, that o Science would have been too ard for him, if it had pleated God > have fpared his Life.

England having a fhare in a Foreign Event which happened this Summer, it cannot be paffed over in Silence. The Kings of Poland and Denmark, with the Czar of Muscovy, had entered into Confederacy against the young King of Seveden. And the Danish Troops invaded Holstein, whofe Duke was Brother-in-Law and Ally to the King of Sweden. Peaceable Applications were made to divert this Storm, which all proving ineffectual, King William and the StatesGeneral generously refolved to refcue the Oppreffed. And accordingly fent a Squadron of 30 Men of War, who entred the Sound the 29th of July, which drove the Dan

Fleet Home, and obliged that Monarch to agree to fuch Terms as the Mediators thought juft; fo that on the 18th of Auguft a Peace was concluded at Travendal, between Sweden and Denmark, and Holftein.

The Earl of Rochefter being Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, went over thither to execute in Person that Office. He arrived at Dublin September the 18th, and was received with all poffible Honour and Refpect. His Lordship remained there all the Winter.

The King returned to England on the 18th of Odober, and ten Days after the Parliament of Scotland affembled. The King's Letter to them was very Gracious, but declared his Concern for not being able to affert the Company's Right of eftablishing a Colony at Darien without difturbing the Peace of Europe, and bringing the Nation into a War, and recommended to them the raifing of competent Taxes for their Defence.

Since the laft Seffion, News arrived that the Colony at Darien had been forced to abandon that Settlement, which increased the Fury E e 2

of

of the Adventurers, and occafioned a National Addrefs to the ParliaIment, which contained a vaft Complaint of Grievances, and gave rife to long Debates in the Houfe. But at lait the King's Friends ftemmed the Tide fo well, that on the 21ft of January a Vote paffed in thefe Terms, That in Confideration of their great Deliverance by his Majefty, and that next under God their Safety and Happiness depended wholly on the Prefervation of his Perfon and Government, they would fupport both to the utmost of their Power, and • maintain fuch Forces as fhould be requifite for thofe Ends.' And accordingly they made Provifion for maintaining 3000 Men til the Ill of December, 1702.

And now came on that great Af fair, the Succeffion to the Spanish Monarchy. By the Partition Treaty, as we have told you, it was to have been divided between the two Claimants; but when this Treaty came to be communicated to the Emperor he utterly refuled it. The other States of Europe, who were defired to be Guarantçes, declined it And the Court of Spain inveighed against it. All which gave the French fach Opportunity to push on the Intereft of Philip Duke of Anjou second Son of the Dauphin of France, that the crazy King of Spain was prevailed upon by his Will to appoit that Prince his universal Heir, and a Month after, namely, Nov. 1. N. S. departed this Life. The French King, notwithftanding his air Promies when the Treaty was made, accepted the Will, and immeditely declared his Grandfon King of Spain. This put King William to grea. Perplexity, for we and the Dutch being quite duarmed, and our Parliment in fuch Ditpofition that the King could

expect no Relief that Way, he was fo perfectly incapable of oppofing the French, that he could not promife the Elector of Bavaria Protection, when he offered to maintain the Netherlands. And thereby that Prince was forced to make his Peace with France, by furrendring the ftrong Towns into the Hands of King Philip.

The French immediately demanded of the Dutch a Recognition of King Philip's Titles, and upon Hefitation feized all the Garrilons they had in the Spanish Towns in Fiarders; which forced them to acqu efce: Nor could our King avod doing the fame Thing foon after.

December 19. The Parliamen was diffolved, and another called to meet the 6th of February. Ardia the mean Time the King made fore Promotions. The Earl of Rader, as we have faid, was made Lond Livetenant of Ireland. The Lord Godolphin first Commiffioner of the Treafury in the room of Mr. M tague, who was

not long bee created a Baron, by the Title of Lord Hallifax, and made Auditor of the Exchequer. The Earl of Ter kerville was made Lord Privyst in the Place of the Lord Loraze deceas'd, and Sir Charles Hedges was made Secretary of State in the roo of the Lord Jersey.

The Parliament met on the of February, and chofe Robert Ha lev, Efq; Speaker. And then he King made his Speech as ufual. The Subftance whereof was, That the Death of the Duke of Gloucester made it neceffary to make a farther Provi fion for the Succeffion in the Pr ftant Line. That the prefent Sa of Affairs, embroiled by the Death the King of Spain, merited their fideration. And wifhed the C mons to fupply the Deficiencies, 20 provide for the Navy.

The

The Commons ma le fome General Votes which teftified a due Refpect and Loyalty to his Majefty viz. That they would fland by and fupport his Majefly and his Government. And another to defire the King to enter into fuch Negotiations and Treaties with the States General and other Potentates, as might conduce to the Safety of these Kingdoms and the Netherlands. And on the 3d of March, the Houfe having taken into Confideration that part of the King's Speech relating to the Succeffion, came to this Refolution: That for preferving the Peace and Happiness of this King dom, and the Security of the Proteftant Religion, it was abfolute ly neceffary that a further Provifion be made for the Limitation and Succeffion in the Proteftant Line'. Which was afterwards nade good by the Act for limiting he Succeffion, as we fhall have ocafion to fhew by and by.

6

The Grand Affair of this Seffion, nd that which took up moft of heir Time, was the Partition Treay. Both Houles Addrefed against t; and the Enemies of the Court ave themfelves full Liberty in railag at it, and even within the Walls the Houfe, one Member had the refumption to call it a Felonious Treaty. What the Commons feemed o infift molt upon was, That this Treaty was concluded during the tting of Parliament without conilting them. And that fuch large Territories of the King of Spain's Jominions were given to the French. lut no Mortal was allowed to plead a the King's behalf, that France uld not be expected to forego its Claim to the Spanish Crown, but on good advantageous Terms. Chat without coming to fome preious Agreement, the French would t once be Mafters of the Spanish Monarchy, fince they kept up their Armies; whereas all the Confede

rates had Disbanded theirs. And Laftly, that the French being Mafters of Spain would be able to put what Checks they pleafed on the English Trade thither. To this might have been added, that the King having no manner of Intereft or Advantage in making this Treaty, it could not poffibly be the Effect of any Thing but his Care to prevent an immediate War. I fay, thefe Arguments would not be liftened to, altho' it was actually come to pafs. But the Cry was that the Partition-Treaty produced the Will, As if without the Partition Treaty, France would have patiently fubmitted to a Will against him; or that the Spaniards were fingly able to keep him out.

The House of Commons impeached the Earl of Portland of HighCrimes and Mifdemeanors for having tranfacted the Partition-Treaty. And proceeded further to impeach the Lord Sommers, Orford, and Hallifax. And on the 23d of April in an Addrefs to the King, acquainted his Majefty that in their Enquiry concerning the Partition Treaty, they found his Majefty had not entred into it without Advice of his English Counsellors; and that John Lord Sommers, Edward Earl of Orford, and Charles Lord Hallifax having advifed his Majelly to enter into that Treaty of fo dangerous Confequence to the Trade and Welfare of this Nation, they befought his Majelly to remove thofe Loids from his Council and Prefence, and alfo the Earl of Portland who tranfacted that Treaty, The Houfe of Lords in the mean time, hearing of this Addrefs, before it was prefented, prefented a Counter Addrefs to the King, intimating that thofe Lords being impeached at the Bar, they befought his Majefty that he would not pass any Cenfure upon them before they were tried and adjudg 1.

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