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and established Privileges, ftipu<lated for them by the faid Treaties; for the Redrefs of which Grievances, the strongest Inftances ⚫ have been, from Time to Time, made by our feveral Ministers refiding in Spain, without any Ef fet; and whereas a Convention for making Reparation to our Subjects for the Loffes fuftained by them, &c. was concluded between us and the King of Spain, on the 14th Day of January last, N. S. by which it was ftipulated, That a certain Sum of Money fhould be paid at London, within 'a Term therein fpecified, as a Balance admitted to be due, on the Part of Spain, to the Crown and Subjects of Great-Britain, which Term expired on the 25th Day of May laft, and the Payment ⚫ of the faid Sum was not made; by which Means the Convention was manifestly broken by the King of Spain and the Me'thods agreed upon by the faid Convention, in order to the obtaining future Security for the Trade and Navigation of our Subjects are, contrary to good Faith, fruftrated and defeated: In Confequence of which, we ⚫ found ourselves obliged

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order, That general Reprifals 'fhould be granted againft the faid King of Spain, his Vaffals and Subjects, &c. And whereas the Court of Spain has been induced to colour the open Violation of the Convention aforefaid, by • Reasons and Pretences void of all • Foundation; and at the fame Time has not only published an Order, figned by the faid King, for feizing the Ships, Goods and Effects belonging to us and our Subjects, wherever they fhall be met with, but bath caufed Seizures to be actually made, of the

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Goods and Effects of our Subjects refiding in his Dominions, and has alfo ordered our faid Subjects to depart out of the Spanish Do'minions within a fhort limited Time, contrary to the express Stipulation of the Treaties between the two Crowns, even in 'Cafe of a War actually declared: • We have taken into our Royal

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and moft ferious Confideration ⚫ these Injuries which have been offered to us and our Subjects and the manifeft Violati on of the several Treaties subsisting between the two Crowns. And being fully fatisfied, that the Honour of our Crown, the Intereft of our Subjects, and that Regard which ought to be had to the moft folemn Treaties, call upon us to make use of the Power which God hath given us, for vindicating our undoubted Rights, and fecuring to our loving Subjects the Privileges of Naviga⚫tion and Commerce, to which they are justly entitled: We therefore relying on the Help of Almighty God, who knows the Uprightnefs of our Intentions, have thought fit to declare, and do hereby declare War against the faid King of Spain; and we will, in purfuance of fuch Declaration vigorously profecute the faid War, being affured of the ready Concurrence and Affittance of all our loving Subjects in fo juft a Cause, wherein the Honour of our Crown, the Maintenance of our folemn Treaties, and the Trade and Na'vigation of our Subjects are so greatly concerned.

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Soon after an Account came that Rear-Admiral Haddock had taken two rich Caraccas Ships, the Money and Goods on board one of which, called the St. Jofeph, as mentioned in the Bill of Lading, were compu

ted

A. D.

1739

A. D. ted to be worth upwards of 100.000/ 1739. Sterling; befides Silver and other valuable Effects, not expreff'd in the Bill of Lading. The Ship was brought to Spithead, and the Money on board was brought up in two Waggons, and lodg'd in the Bank.

In October died his Grace the Duke of Manchester, Knight of the Bath, and Captain of the Yeomen of the Guards.

On Thursday the 15th of Novem ber the Parliament met, and his Majefty told them, that the prefent Pofture of Affairs had obliged him to call them together, at that Time, fooner than had been ufual of late Years, that he might have their immediate Advice and Affiftance at that critical and important Conjuncture.

On the 23d the Lords and Commons waited on his Majefty with the joint Refolution of both Houfes, as follows:

Refolved by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in Parliament affembled, That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, as a dutiful Return to his gracious Defire of the Advice of his Parliament at this critical and im portant Conjuncture; and as a farther Testimony of our firm Refolution vigorously to fupport his Majefty in the Profecution of the War against Spain, humbly to befeech his Majesty never to admit of any Treaty of Peace with that Crown, unless the Acknowledgment of our natural and undubitable Right to navigate in the American Seas, to and from any Part of his Majefty's Dominions, without being feized, fearched, vifited or stopped, under any Pretence whatfoever, fhall have been firft obtained, as a Preliminary thereto.

His Majesty's Anfwer was as follows:

My Lords and Gentlemen, I thank you for this dutiful A dress, which is fo agreeable to former Refolutions of both Houses of Paris

ment.

Your unanimous and Syra Support, in carrying on the To, will be the best Means of proc safe and bonourable Terms of Paci; and you may rely on my utmott Cart and Endeavour to obtain effectual Se curity for the juft Rights of Naviga tion and Commerce belonging to y Subjects.

The Penfion Bill again paffed the Houfe of Commons, and was ted by the Lords.

In November died Sir Wha Thompson, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, and Recorder of Landa. He was fucceeded in the former Po by Mr. Serjeant Wright, and in the latter by John Strange, Efq; his Ma jefty's Sollicitor General.

In the fame Month died Gener Sabine, Governor of Gibraltar Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafe and Harry Earl of Stamford.

In December died Lieutenant Ge neral Nappier, Commander in Cha of the Forces in Ireland, under the Lord Viscount Shannon: And the Earls of Murray and Sterling, Sa Peers.

As intense a Froft as perhaps w ever known in thefe Parts began o Christmas day, and continued thro January and the greatest Pan February, near eight Weeks. T Thames was froze so hard, that M titudes of People walked over %, and a great many Booths were erected, and a Fair kept upon

Inftructions were fent up from 1 great many Counties and Corpora tions to their respective Reprefenta tives, earneftly recommending t them the promoting of a Bill t limiting the Number of Officers the Houfe of Commons, commca ly called the Place Bill. Accord

gly on January 29. a Motion was nade in the House of Commons for he bringing in of fuch a Bill, but I was rejected by a Majority of 16. In this Month died Sir Brocas Gardiner, Bart. one of the Commifioners of the Stamp Duties: Alexander Wilfon, Efq; who was Lord Provost of Edinburgh when Captain Porteous was hang'd by the Mob: Sir William Stapleton, Bart. one of the Knights of the Shire for the County of Oxford: Captain Tudor Trevor, Deputy Governor of Greenwich Hofpital: And Sir Francis Henry Drake, Bart. Member of Parliament for Boralfton in Devonshire.

The next Month the following Perfons of Note departed this Life, viz. The Right Honourable Richard Lumley, Earl of Scarborough, Knight of the Garter, one of his Majefty's moft Honourable Privy Council, and Colonel of the fecond Regiment of Foot Guards, in which Command he was fucceeded by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland: The Right Honourable the Earl of Delorain: Lieutenant General Evans, firft General of Horfe, Colonel of a Regiment of Horfe, and Governor of Chelsea Hofpital:

giving an Account of the glorious A. D· Action at Porto Bello, on the 21ft 1740. and 22d of November laft; when the faid Admiral, with no more than fix Men of War, entered the Harbour, and made himself Mafter of the Town and Forts; after which, he took on board his Ships from the feveral Fortreffes, 40 Pieces of Brass Cannon, 10 Brafs Field Pieces, four Brafs Mortars, and 18 Brafs Pattereroes; and rendered unferviceable above 80 Iron Cannon, by knocking off the Trunnions, and fpiking them up: He alfo took on board all the Spaniards Shot and Ammunition, except 122 Barrels of Powder, which he expended in fpringing Mines, by which all the Fortifications of the Forts were blown up. and entirely demolished, and the Harbour left open and defenceless.

On the 18th the following Addrefs was prefented to his Majefty by both Houfes of Parliament:

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Moft gracious Sovereign,

We your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament affembled,

Sir Jofeph Eyles, Knight, Aldermando congratulate your Majefty on of Cheap Ward, and Member of Parliament for the Devizes: And Sir Edmund Elwill, Bart. Comptroller of the Duties arifing by Excife.

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the glorious Succefs of your Majefty's Arms in the West Indies, under the Command of Vice-Admiral Vernon, by entering the Port, and taking the Town of Porto Bello, and demolishing and levelling all the Forts and Caftles belonging thereto, with fix Ships of War only.

This Enterprize, fo wifely con

to pafs that Houfe. She was fooncerted, and fo bravely conducted, after created Countess of Yarmouth.

The 13th of March, Captain Rentone arrived here Exprefs, with Letters from Vice-Admiral Vernon,

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cannot fail of giving the utmost Joy to all your Majelly's faithful Subjects, fince it affords the most reasonable Hopes and Expectations, that, by the Blefling of God

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The City of London alfo prefent ed an Addrefs to his Majefty on the fame Occafion.

About this Time died the Right honourable Alexander Hume Earl of Marchmont, one of the 16 Peers for Scotland in the laft Parliament: The Right honourable John Lord King, Baron of Ockham, Son to the late Lord Chancellor King: And Mr. Juftice Denton, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, and Chancellor to his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales. He was fucceeded in the latter Place by Thomas Bootle, Efq; and in the former by Mr. Baron Parker, who was fuc ceeded by Mr. Baron Reynolds of the Exchequer in Ireland.

On Tuesday, April 29, his Majefly went to the Houfe of Peers, and gave the Royal Affent to An Act for probibiting Commerce with Spain: An Act to prevent the exceffive Incrcafe of Horfe Races: An Act for

the Increase of Mariners and Ste men: An Att for confirming an enlarging the Powers granted by his Majefly to the Governors and Guardians of the Hopital for the Maintenance of expofed and der young Children; and to several others: After which his Majeży put an end to the Seffion with a mod gracious Speech.

On the 30th his Grace the Duke of Argyll refigned all his Places at Court.

Sir Francis Child, Knight d Alderman, Knight of the Shree Middlefex, and Prefident of Cind: Hofpital died in this Month: Ht was Lord Mayor of London in 1732 About the fame Time died Dr. Francis Hare, Lord Bishop of Ca chefter, and Dean of St. Pauls. Upon this Dr. Marufen was tranda ted to the See of Chichester, and Dr John Gilbert was made Bishop f of Landaffe in his Room; and Dr. Butler, Lord Bishop of Bris was made Dean of St. Paul's. A little before, the Reverend Dr. F ton, Author of the Differtation a the Clafficks, departed this Life.

On the 8th of May in the Eve ning, were folemnized the Epos fals of the Princefs Mary with the moft ferene Prince Frederick of Hy Caffel, his Royal Highness the Dus of Cumberland acting as Proxy. He Marriage Portion provided by Aè of Parliament was 40,000. Ha Royal Highnefs fet out foon and for Heffe Caffel.

On the 13th his Majefty having appointed Lords Juttices, fet out for

Hanover.

On the 20th died, in the 5 ed Year of his Age, Frederick William, King of Pruffia, Margrave of Brasi burg, Arch-Chamberlain and Electer of the Holy Roman Empire. H was fucceeded by Charles Frederick

is eldest Son, born January 24,

1712.

His Majefty, before his Deparure for Hanover, conferred the Hoour of Knighthood on Dudley Ry der, Efq; Attorney General, and on John Strange, Efq; Sollicitor General.

In this Month died Mr. Ephraim Chambers, F. R. S. Author of the Famous Dictionary, entitled Cycloedia, and was interred in the Cloyf. ers in Westminster Abbey.

About this Time a Spanish Privaeer, which had very much annoy'd ›ur Merchant Ships in the Channel, c. and had taken at least 22 of hem and carried them into St. Seaftian's was taken by one of our Ships of War, and brought to Portf nouth.

Some Time before, a large Spa tib Man of War was taken by three of ours, after a fharp and bloody Engagement.

The Beginning of June a Camp vas formed on Hounslow Heath, vhich drew Multitudes of Peo›le from Town and Country to fee

t.

Sir John Norris went down to the Fleet at Spithead, and hoifted his Flag on board the Victory, and his Royal Highness the Duke foon afer embarked on board the fame. In their first Attempt to fail, the Lyon in a Storm run foul of the Vicory and damaged it, fo that they were forced to put back. They nade feveral other Attempts to fail, out the Wind ftill coming contrary, hey could not proceed.

In the mean Time we were unler Apprehenfions about the Cadiz and Ferrol Squadrons, which being joined, failed at laft for the Weft Indies. And what added more to our Concern was the French Breft and Toulon Squadron failing for that

Part of the World foon after. But A. D nothing came of it, and the French 1740. Squadron after having been there fome Time, returned home the Beginning of the next Year, without doing any Thing.

We must now go a little back. About June the following Perfons of Note departed this Life, viz. Henry de Grey, Duke and Earl of Kent, Lord Lieutenant and Cuftos Rotulorum of the County of Bedford, one of the Privy Council, and Knight of the Garter: Thomas Onflow, Lord Onflow and Baronet, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Surrey, and one of the Tellers of the Exchequer : Sir William Wyndham, Baronet, Knight of the Shire for the County of Somerset, and a famous Speaker in the Houfe of Commons: And Samuel Holden, Efqi Governor of the Bank, and Member of Parliament for Eaftlow in Cornwall.

The 29th of June an Account came of another glorious Action of Admiral Vernon, viz. his taking the Town of Chagre, and Caftle of San Lorenzo. He found the CustomHoufe full of Goods for the Lading of the Galleons, which he fhipped off, and then fet Fire to the CuftomHouse and burnt it down, and blew up and demolished the CaAle, &c.

In July died Sir Jeremy Vanacker Sambroke Baronet, Member of Parliament for Bedford: And in August, Sir John Lade, Baronet, in Commiflion of the Peace for the County of Surry.

There was a great Contest this Year between the Livery Men (who had again refolved to fet afide Sir George Champion) and the Court of Aldermen about chufing Lord Mayor. The Livery. returned Sir Robert Godschall the Senior Alder

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