A. D. and People, and which tended fo 1726. much to the Prefervation of the publick Peace. But we must own, that we were fenfibly afflicted to fee our Hopes defeated by the Return which was made to the obliging and friendly Offers that were made on our Part; because, after a long Delay to no manner of Purpofe, we found that your Majefty's Minifters infifted upon fuch Alterations in the Treaty projected, as did not concern the Intereft of the Ruffian Empire, and fuch as were not only contrary to the folemn Engagements, which we and his moft Chriftian Majefty were under to other Powers, but fuch as would have involved all the Northern Crowns in new Troubles and Troubles and Distractions.

Neither can we conceal from your Majefly the extraordinary Surprize we were under, to hear, that while we were carrying on amicable Negotiations, and had not given the leaft Provocation on our Part, Measures were taking at your Court in Favour of the Pretender to our Crown, and great Encouragement given to his Adherents.

After what we have now fet forth, your Majefty will not be furprized, that we, being indifpenfibly obliged to provide for the Security of our Dominions, to perform our Engagements with our Allies, and to maintain the publick Tranquillity in the North, which feemeth to be very much in Danger from your Majefty's late Preparations, have thought it neceffary to fend a ftrong Fleet of our Men of War to the Baltick, and that we have given Orders to our Admiral who commandeth it, to endeavour to prevent fresh Troubles in thofe Parts, by hindering your Majesty's Ships from coming out, in cafe

that you perfift in your Refoltin to put your Fleet to Sea, to executa the Defigns which you may have in View.

But as it is our firm Intention to live in Peace and Friendship with your Majesty, we with from the Bottom of our Heart, that your Majefty, feriously reflecting the true Intereft of your Sutes, would permit them to enjoy the Bleffings of that Peace, which they purchafed at the Expence fo much Blood and Treafure, under the Conduct of his late May; and that rather than enter 120 Meafures, which muft inevity plunge Ruffia in a War, and the whole North in Confufior, your Majefty would pleafe to give your People and all Mankind, convitcing Proofs of your Inclination for Peace, and of your good Dip tion to live in Quiet with your Neighbours.

Your affectionate Brother,

ents to them, to protect her bjects against any Infults, and oppofe fuch as fhould offer to turb the Peace of her Subjects Allies.

During this, Count Rabutin, the mperor's Minifter at the Czari's Court, laboured inceflantly in warting the Negotiations propoby Sir Charles to the Ruffians, id frequently fuggefted, that the ritish Admiral being come with en Force to negociate an Accomodation, it would be a Difparageent to the Court of Ruffia, to ter into a Treaty with him, hile his Fleet lay at Anchor fo ear an Ifland belonging to them; nd that they ought at least to obge him to quit their Coafts, beore his Inftructions were taken nto Confideration, that the Senaors might be left intirely at their Liberty to determine therein as hey fhould think convenient. The Admiral having tranfmitted the Czarina's Answer to his Majefty's Letter, continued in the fame Station, waiting for further Orders and Inftructions. The British Merchants in those Parts were under no small Concern on Account of these Transactions, and had reason to apprehend, that their Perfons and Effects were in imminent Danger; but the Czarina, to put them out of their Fears, was pleaf ed foon after to publish a Declaration, in which the affured them, that although any open Hoftilities fhould be committed against her by the British Squadron, nevertheless that the faid Merchants fhould not be injured in their Perfons, Goods, Poffeffions, Ships going or coming, nor in any other Manner whatfoever; and that, as well for the prefent as for the Time to come, they might freely and at their Pleasure and beft Advantage,

without any Fear or Apprehenfion, A. D. carry on their Traffick in her 1726. Empire, equally with all other Nations in Friendship with the Ruffians; and on all Occafions be unalterably afcertained and affured of her gracious Protection and Care for them; provided only they themselves, through no dif agreeable Meafures, or forbidden Proceedings, rendered themselves obnoxious. And notwithstanding a new Battery was erecting at Revel on this Occafion, and the Ruffians continued Night and Day on their Guard for Fear of a Surprize, Sir Charles Wager had Liberty to furnish his Squadron with fresh Provifions as often as he pleased. At last it being judged that the Czarina's Affairs were not in fuch a Situation,, as to be able to make any confiderable Attempt this Year (for though they wanted not for Ships, they were in great Need of able and expert Seamen) the British Fleet left those Parts, and returned to their own Harbours.

Neither was, the Imperial Court fatisfied with fpiriting up the Northern Powers againit our Court this Summer; but they purfued at the fame Time unkind Measures in endeavouring to cramp our Trade, in the South and that too in that very Ifland, whofe Conqueft for the Houfe of Auftria was but a few Years fince chiefly owing to the Valour and Treature of the British Nation. For Orders were fent from the Court of Vienna to the Viceroy of Sicily, to publish a Proclamation, prohibiting the Importation of feveral English Manufactures, as Duroys, Calamancors, Camlets, Druggets, and other forts of Drapery 'Goods, in order to encourage thofe which were intended to be introduced PP 4

into

4. D. into Sicily by the Triefte Company. 1726. Upon which a Memorial was prefented to the Viceroyby Mr.Chamberlayne, the British Conful general in that Kingdom; but all the Anfwer to it was, that the Orders from the Court of Vienna on this Affair being uncontrollable, the punishing them would not be much longer deferred; and for fuch Sorts of Goods, already on the Way thither, as were comprized in the faid Prohibition, they would only be admitted in Porto Franco, there to remain unfold till further Directions from the Court of Vienna.

But to return Home. In January this Year died Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield; and in the Beginning of March, Evelin Pier point, Duke and Earl of Kingston, departed this Life.

May 26, a Chapter of the moft noble Order of the Garter was held at St. James's, and Charles Lenox, Duke of Richmond and Lenox, Knight of the Bath, and Sir Robert Walpole of Houghton in the County of Norfolk, Knight of the Bath, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and firft Commiffioner of the Treafury, were elected Knights Companions of the faid Order, in the Room of Evelin Pierpoint Duke of Kingston, and Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St. Albans, both deceased.

In July, Mr. Humphry Wanley, Library Keeper to the Earl of Oxford, a Perfon famous for his great Learning in Antiquities, as well as Skill in ancient Manufcripts, departed this Life: In the fame Month died fuddenly, at Vienna, Duke Maximilian William of Brunfwick Hanover, Colonel of a Regiment of Cuiraffiers in the Emperor's Service, his Britannick Majesty's Brother; as alfo William

Cadogan, Earl Cadogan, Geral of the Foot Forces in South Britain.

His Majefty, upon the humble. Petition of the United Company of Merchants trading to the Eaft Indies, was pleated to grant them a new Charter in Auguf this Year, with Power to erect a Corporation within the Town or Factory of Madras Patron in the East Indies, by the Name of The Mayor and Aldermen of Madras Patnan; and to erect a Corporation within the Town and Factory of Bombay, on the Ind of Bombay in the East Indies, by the Name of The Mayor and Adr men of Bombay; and alfo to erect another Corporation within the Factory of Fort William in Bergall, in the faid Indies; and to grant to each of the faid Corporations and their Succeffors perpetual Succeffion, to have a common Seal alterable at Pleafure, to make By-laws for the better Government of the faid refpective Corporations, and to try Civil and Criminal Caufes, high Treafon excepted.

In September Sir John Fryer,! who had been fome Time before Lord Mayor of London; and Ro- 1 bert Dormer Efq; who had been about twenty Years one of the Judges of his Majefty's Court of Common Plas, departed this Life. And in the following Month died Sir Jeffrey Gilbert, Lond chief Baron of the Court of Ex chequer, and Sir Thomas Pengely his Majefty's primier Serjeant at Law, was appointed to fucceed him.

The Parliament met January 17 and his Majesty in his Speech told them, that the fudden and uncountable Conjunction between the Emperor and the King of Spa and the fecret and offenfive Allan

A. D. ftriking at the Foundation of the 1727. most valuable Privileges and Interefts of the Subjects of his Majefly, and those of his Allies; to declare the Refentment of the Commons of Great Britain at the unjuft Demand of the King of Spain for the Reftitution of Gibraltar, and the unwarrantable Ufurpation of the Emperor, in erecting and carrying on the Oftend Trade, and their mutual Obligations to fupport each other in thefe unjuftifiable Attemps and Undertakings: and efpecially to exprefs the higheft Indignation at the Refolutions and Engagements entred into, for attempting to place the Pretender on the Throne of these Kingdoms; to return his Majefty Thanks, for his great Care in ftrengthening his AlTiances, and imploying his royal Fleet fo ufefully for the Security, Advantage, and Glory of this Na tion; to defire his Majefty, that he will forthwith give the neceffary Orders for putting this Kingdom in a Pofture of Defence; and to afsure him, that this Houfe will not only chearfully and effectually raife the Supplies neceffary for the prefent Exigency of Affairs, but will ftand by and fupport his Majefty in making good his Engagements with his Allies; feveral Objections were raised, as that the Matter of Peace and War is of the greateft Weight that can fall under the Confideration of that Affembly; that as his Majefty's Speech contained many Points of the highest Moment, fo he expected not only the Support, but likewife the Advice of that Houfe; that in Order thereto, they ought maturely to deliberate on thole feveral Heads, which could not be done, before fome Papers were communicated to them, which feemed abfolutely neceffary to ftate feveral Facts relating to thofe weighty Mat

ters. At laft it was carried for n Addrefs by a great Majority, which was prefented the next Day. And the Houfe foon after agreed that twenty thousand Men fhould be imployed for the Sea Service for the current Year.

March 4, a Meffage was lent by his Majefty's Order to M. de Pain, the Emperor's Refident, to quaint him, that he having, int Audience he had of the King o Thursday laft, delivered into e Hands of his Majesty a Mental highly injurious to his Maje Honour, and the Dignity of Crown, in which Memorial he b forgot all Regard to Truth, and the Refpect due to his facred Maje and the faid Memorial being publickly difperfed next Morting in Print, together with a Lett from the Count de Zinzendorf 10 him the faid Palm, ftill more lent and more injurious, if poffe, than the Memorial, his Maj looked upon the faid Refident Pa no longer as a publick Minifter, and required him "forthwith to depart out of this Kingdom.

مطلع

This Memorial, after endeavoring to vindicate the Peace concladed at Vienna, as being chiefly bu on the Quadruple Alliance, r the Treaty of Commerce with Spr as calculated only to promote mutual and lawful Advantages of the Subjects of both Parties, it a Manner agreeable to the Law f Nations, and in no wife to prejudice the British Nation, roundly afferet that the Offenfive Alliance mentioned in his Majesty's Speech wa abfolutely void of all Foundation: as was also that of the secret Articles made in Favour of the Pretender. This Affair having mis a great Noife, came under the Cr fideration of Parliament, and both Houfes agreed to an Addrefs to e