refented to his Majefty thereupon, which they expreffed the high1 Refentment at the Affront and ndignity thus offered, and at the folence in printing and difperfing e fame throughout the Kingdom; nd declared their utmoft Abhorence and Deteftation at this audacius manner of appealing to the Peole against his Majefty, under the retext of applying for Redrefs and eparation of fuppofed Injuries; eturned his Majelly Thanks for ommunicating to his Parliament ae Dangers threatning this Kingom, and affured him that no Aaufements, by artful or evafive Denials, fhould lead them into a alfe Security, or divert them from xerting themfelves in Vindication of his Majefty's Honour, and in deending and fupporting his Majesty gainst all his open and fecret Enenies, both at Home and Abroad. The private Treaty of Convention and Alliance between the Emperor and the King of Spain, was as followeth. I. There fhall be between his Imperial Catholick Majelty, and his Royal Catholick Majelty, a folid and fincere Amity, which fhall be mutually cultivated, in fuch Sort, that the one fhall procure all Advantages for the other, as if they were for himfelf, and the other shall return the fame. II. And it being reprefented by the moft ferene King of Spain, that the Reftitution of Gibraltar, with its Port, had been promifed by the King of Great Britain, and that his Catholick Royal Majefty doth infift upon the Reftitution of Gibraltar, with its Port, and likewife of the Ifland of Minorca and Port Mahon: It is declared on the Part of his facred Imperial Majesty, that he will not in any Manner oppofe this Reftitution, but, as far as he is able, imploy all good Offices to this Purpofe, and, if the Parties defire it of him, accept the Mediation. III. The most ferene King of Spain, Philip the fifth, to give a moft evident Proof of the Sincerity of his Friendfhip, promifeth and engageth to permit all Ships of his Imperial Majefty's Subjects, of what Nation foever they be, to enter freely into all the Ports of Spain, and fo as they may trade with all Freedom and Security, and enjoy all the Privileges and Prerogatives, that any the most favoured Nation doth enjoy (as the French do at prefent, and the English formerly did) and that too from the Day of the Publication of this Peace, which fhall be published immediately in all Ports and Places convenient, as it is agreed in the Treaty of Commerce figned this Day. IV. And in cafe the Ships of his Imperial Majefty fhall be attacked on this Account on this or on the other Side the Line, his Catholick Majesty promifeth to make it the Common Caufe, and to take Vengeance and Reparation for the Injuries and Damages they fhall fuftain. In like Manner, if the Ships of his Catholick Majefty fhall be hoftilely attacked, either on this or on the other Side of the Line, on this Account, his Imperial Majefty promifeth likewife to make it the Common Cause, and to take Vengeance and Reparation for Injuries and Damages fu fiained. V. And whereas by the Quadruple Alliance, for the Security of the Realms, Dominions, and Provinces poffeffed by the contracting Powers, it was ftipulated, that they fhould become reciprocal Guarantees; it is nevertheless found neceffary, by the prefent Alliance, to explain more at large what is meant by the Word Security, and better to provide for what may happen: For this Purpofe therefore, and to confirm more ftrongly the Amity begun between his Imperial and his Catholick Majefly, it is thought necellary to particularize, as A. D. 1727. A. D. as followeth, the Succours, with 1727. which each Party is to furnish the Wother for their mutual Security, viz. If the Emperor, his Kingdoms, and hereditary Dominions, in whatever Place fituate, fhall be hoftilely attacked, or if the War begun in another Country fhall be carried thither that then his Catholick Majefty promifeth to affift and fuccour his Imperial Majefty with all his Forces both by Land and by Sea, and particular ly to furnish a Navy of at least fifteen large Ships of War, commonly called Line of Battle Ships; and befides this, an Army of twenty thousand Men, that is to fay, fifteen thousand Foot, and five thoufand Horfe; their Winter Quarters to be provided by the Emperor. His Catholick Majefty to be excufed, if he fhall furnish Money, inftead of Troops, after the Rate of eight thousand Florins a Month for every thousand Foot, and twenty four thousand for every thousand Horfe, payable at the Time ftipulated, by the Genoefe in the Town of Genoa. And if the King of Spain fhall not furnish the Ships ftipulated, he fhall fend an Army of ten thousand Men or Money for them, according to the Calculation above-mentioned. In like Manner, his Imperial Majefty promifeth and engageth to fuccour his Catholick Majefty with all his Forces both by Land and by Sea, in cafe his Majefty's Dominions in Europe, orelfewhere, fhall be hoftilely attacked; and particularly to fend to his Aid thirty thousand Men, that is to fay, twenty thousand Foot, and ten thousand Horfe; to be provided with Winter Quarters by his Catholick Majefty. VI. The Ambaffadors extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries of the two Powers contracting, promife refpectively, that this particular Treaty of Alliance and Amity fhall be ratifyed by his Imperial Majefty, and by his Catholick Majefty, according to the be Form mutually agreed; and that the folemn Acts of Ratification fhall be exchanged within three Months, or fooner, if poffible. Under Faith of which, the mid Minifters, Ambaffadors extraordi nary and Plenipotentiaries, have figned with their own Hands this Inftrument of Alliance and particu lar Amity, and confirmed it with their Seals. 30, Done at Vienna in Auftria, Aird Eugene de Savoje, Gundaker Count de Staremberg, In a Committee of the whole Houfe this Seffion on the Malt Bill, a Motion was made, that it be an Inftruction to the faid Commitee, that they have Power to receive a Claufe of Appropriation, giving Power to his Majefty to apply fuck Sams of Money, as fhall be neceffary for answering and defraying fuch Er pences and Engagements, as have at any Time been, or fhall, before or until the 25th Day of December 1727 be made by his Majefty, in concer ting fuch Measures, as he in his great Wisdom thinkeft will beft com duce to the Security of the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom. and to the preserving and rettoring the Peace of Europe; upon which enfued a warm Debate. In fupport of the Motion it was alledged, that his Majefty was fo unwilling to put his Subjects to any extraordinary Expences, that he had demanded no more Supplies this Seffion, than what he thought abfolutely neceffary for the Service of the Year; but that in the prefent Pofture of Affairs fome unforeseen Acciden: might require a further Expence, for which no Eftimate could now be be made, because fome Treaties, which his Majefty thought fit to enter into, were not yet finished, wherefore they ought to enable him o answer fuch Contingencies; that he House had several Times repofed the fame Confidence in his Maefty, which had never been abused, ind what was now asked was only or a fhort Time. To this it was replyed, that this Method of asking and granting Supplies without an Eftimate of the Expence was unpariamentary, and that the Claufe moved for was inconfiftent with that Part of the Bill, which forbiddeth he iffuing of the Supplies thereby granted to any other Purposes, than thofe therein particularly directed, and rendered ineffectual that Appropriation of the publick Money, which the Wisdom of all Parliaments had thought a neceffary Security against the Mifapplication of it; and that fuch Mifapplication was the more to be feared in this cafe, becaufe no Provifion was made to oblige any Perfon to account for the Money difpofed of by virtue of the Power in the Claufe propofed; that vaft Sums had already been granted, fufficient to answer any Occafions, as far as their prefent Views could reach, but if fome unexpected Emergency fhould require greater Supply, it might be provided for in the ufual Manner; that this might be done with lefs Inconvenience, and with lefs Danger of Mifapplication, than by fuch a Delegation of almost a Dictatorial Authority to the Minifters; that fuch an unlimited and abfolute Power ought never to be given in a free Government, but upon Occafions of evident Neceffity, when the very Being of the Government is in imminent Danger; that the repofing a Confidence in the Crown, in the Difpofition of fuch immenfe Sums of Money, as by the Advice of un thrifty Minifters may be expended, might be attended with great Prejudice to the Properties of the Subjects, and no fmall Darger to our most excellent Conflitution, which cannot be preferved, but by a strict Adherence to thofe effential Parliamentary Forms of granting Supplies only upon Eftimates, and of appropriating the fame to Services and Occafions publickly avowed, and judged neceffary; and that the departing from thefe excellent Methods would by Degrees render Parliaments altogether ufelefs. The Debate being over, and the Queftion put, it was carried for the Motion by 225 Voices against 109. The annual Supplies being provided for, and the other Business which lay before the Parliament difpatched, his Majefty went to the Houfe of Peers May 15, gave the Royal Affent to feveral Bills then ready, among which were, An Act for the free Importation of Cochineal during the Time therein limited; an Act for enlarging the Times for hearing and deterwining Claims by the Trustees for raifing Money upon the Eftates of the late South Sea Directors Company, &c. An Act for Sale of the forfeited Etates in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, as remain unfold, and are vested in the Crown; an Act for the better Regulation of the Woollen Manufactures in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland; an Act for preventing Frauds and Abules in the Dying Trade, and fome others; and then put a Clofe to the Seffion by a gracious Speech, in which he returned Thanks to the Parliament for their Zeal and Difpatch of the publick Bufinefs, for the Confidence they had repofed in him, and their Alfurances of Support and Affiftance in maintaining the undoubted Rights and Privileges of the Na A. D. 1727. A. D. tion, fo openly and notoriously 1727. invaded and attacked. The Siege of Gibraltar proves beyond all Difpute the End and Defign of the Engagements entered into by the Emperor and the King of Spain; but the Preparations I had made for the Defence of that Place, and the Bravery of sny Troops, will, I doubt not, convince them of the Rafhness and Folly of that Undertaking. However, the Love of Peace bath hitherto prevailed upon me, even under this high Provocation, to fufpend in some Measure my Refentments, and inflead of having immediate Recourfe to Arms, and demanding of my Allies that Affiftance which they are engaged and ready to give me, I have concurred with the moft Chriftian King and the States General, in making fuch Overtures of Accommodation, as must convince all the World of the Uprightness of our Intentions, and of our fincere Difpofition to Peace, and demonftrate to whofe Ambition and Thirft of Power the Calamities of a War are to be imputed, if thefe juft and reasonable Propofitions are rejected. In the mean Time, I have the Pleasure to acquaint you, that the Crown of Sweden Eath acceded to the Treaty of Hanover, and that the Convention between me, his moft Chriftian Majefty, and the King of Denmark is actually figned. The Emperor, fince his Alliance with the Muscovites and the Court of Spain, left no Stone unturned, in order to hinder the Acceffion of Sweden and Denmark to the Treaty concluded at Hanover. Το the former of which he caufed a Memorial to be delivered, about the middle of February, by Count Trytach, fetting forth, that all the Acceffions to the Hanover Treaty had no other Tendency, on the Part of the English, than to fubvert the whole Conftitution of the Em pire, that it had been propofed to have large Armies the next Sum. mer on the Rhine and in Lowr Saxony, and that the King of Spa had befieged Gibraltar by way of Return of Admiral Hefter's blocking up Porto Bello. The Spaniards were also very uneafy on Account of the Appearance of the Brit Fleet under the Command of Admiral Jennings, on the Coafs of St. Andero, and the Marquis de la Paz wrote to Mr. Stanhope, his Majefly's Ambassador there, know the Reason thereof. The Letter was sent to England, un Anfwer returned, that his Br nick Majefty was furprized at the Complaint, fince the Mar de la Paz himself had acknowledg ed, that the British Admiral, as foot as he arrived there, affured the Spanish Governors, that he was not come with an Intention to com any Hoftility, but as a Friend, and with pacifick Difpofitions, having been driven upon the Coats by contrary Winds, and by the Neceff ty of fupplying himself there with fresh Water; that the Naval Ar maments and Equipments, which had been lately made in moft of the Ports of Spain, the Preparations of War, and the Motions of a cor derable Number of Spanish Trock towards that Part of their Cont which lieth nearest and most convenient for executing an Enterpr on his Majefty's Dominions, th great Hopes of the Emiffaries and Adherents of the Pretender, who had publickly boafted of the A ance they fhould receive from thofe Parts, the Confidence they had in it, and which had appeared clearly in the pernious and indifcreet Conduct of fome among them, who had been lately received and favoured at Madrid, the Intrigues carried on with the Ma and the Reasons his Majesty bad 4 fufpect the ill Designs upon which the three Ships were fent aft Year from Petersbourg to Cadiz, ad thence to St. Andero, the Knowledge his Majefty had laft Vinter, by the Avowal of the Minifter of Spain, that there was n Offenfive Alliance between the Courts of Madrid and Vienna, and hat by one of the Articles of hat Alliance, it was ftipulated to fe open Force to get Gibraltar retored to the King of Spain, a 'lace poffeffed by his Majefty by irtue of a juft Right; the great Subfidies which had been furnished o the Imperial Court, not fettled by any Alliance yet made publick, otorious Infractions for a long Time made, by the Spanish Guarda Cofta's, on the Trade and Commerce of his Majesty's Subjects in he West Indies, fo often complained of without the leaft Appearance of Satisfaction or Reparation; thefe Things joined together were fufficient to exhibit clearly the Reafons which have induced his Majefty to take the Measures he judged proper, and to equip the feveral Fleets put to Sea; and that his Majefty's Subjects would have had just Caufe to complain, had not Care been taken for the Security of the Kingdom, and of their Rights and Properties, which they law threatned and in Danger. And to add to thefe Mifunderflandings, the Duke of Ripperda, who was lately in very great Efteem at the Court of Madrid, was fuddenly cafhiered, and fled to the British Ambaffador's Houfe for Shelter. Upon this a Guard was ordered to fecure the feveral Avenues leading to it, and to feize the Duke's Perion; which being effected, occafioned Complaints at the English Court, as being done in an extraordinary and unjuftifiable Manner, and against the Privilege allowed by the Law of Nations to the Ambaffadors of Princes. As a Confequence of the mutual Jealoufies between the contending Powers, Gibraltar was befieged, and the Trenches opened before it, this Year, but by the Powerful Reinforcements feasonably fent thither, and the Bravery of the British Troops, all the Efforts of the Enemy could not compel that important Place to furrender, during this Reign; and the Siege was raised by an amicable Treaty after the Death of his Majesty. Towards the Clofe of the laft Year, Sophia Dorothy, who was married to his Majefty, when Elector of Brunswick Zell, in the Year 1682, and by whom he had Iffue his prefent moft gracious Majefty George II, born October 30, 1683, and Dorothy Sophia, born March 16, 1687, and married to Frederick William King of Prufa in the Year 1706, departed this Life in the Caftle of Athlen, in the Electorate of Brunswick Lunenburg, the Place of her Retirement for feveral Years. In January died Thomas Madox, Efq; his Majefty's Hiftoriographer, Author of the Formulare Anglicanum, and fome other Works of Learning. In February died Dr. William Nicholson, who had been a short Time before tranflated from the Bifhoprick of Londonderry in Ireland, to the Archiepifcopal See of Cafbil and Primateship of Munster, in that Kingdom, in the Room of Dr. William Pallifer deceased. March 20, Sir Ifaac Newton, Mafter of his Majefly's Mint at the Tower of London, and Prefident of the Royal Society, juftly famed for his philofophical Writings in moft Parts of the Learned World, departed this Life in the eighty fifth Year of his Age; and in the Month following died George Compton, Earl of Northampton. In A. D. 1727. 1 |