her Generals for want of Succefs in their Condu&; fo Britain changes hers, af<ter an uninterrupted Series of Conqueft. The 'Minds of the People, againft all Common Senfe, are debauch'd with Impreffions of the Duke's Affectation of prolonging the War for his own Glory; and his Adverfaries attack a Reputation which could not well be impaired, without fullying the Glory of Great • Britain, it felf. His Enemies were not to be foftened by that Confideration; he is dif mifs'd, and foon after a Ceffation of Arms between Great Britain and France is pubifh'd at the Head of the Armies. The British, in • the midst of the Enemies Garifons, withdraw themselves from their Confederates. The • French, now no longer having the Britains, or their Great Leader to fear, affect no more • ftrong Garifons and fortified Camps, but attack and rout the Earl of Albemarle at Denain, • and neceffitate the brave Prince Eugene to abandon Landrecy, a Place of fuch Importance that it gave Entrance into the Heart of France. Of which the French King was fo fenfible, that before he was recovered from his Fright, ⚫ he acknowledg'd he owed in a manner his Crown, to the Sufpenfion of Arms between him and Great Britain. The Sufpenfion is • follow'd by a Treaty of Peace at Utrecht. The Peace is concluded between Great Bri•tain and France, and between France and the •States-General. The Emperor and the Em•pire continue the War! I fhall not prefume

to enter into an Examination of the Articles • of Peace between us and France; but there ⚫ can be no Crime in affirtning (if it be a Truth) Na

that

that the Houfe of Bourbon is at this 'Jun&ture become more formidable, and bids fairer for an univerfal Monarchy, and to en'grofs the whole Trade of Europe, than it did 'before the War.

All the World knows with what Franknefs the Dutch have been treated to deliver • up Traerbach to the Imperialists, as an Expedient for the French to befiege it; because forfooth it lies convenient for their 1pcurfions upon the Empire. This Extravagant Demand must give a melancholy Profpect to 6 other Nations.

If it be a Crime to speak honourably of the Duke of Marlborough, it is a Crime that I must always be guilty of, and is that which inftead of denoting me a Stirrer up of Sedition, de. clares me to be a Lover of my Country. If I am rightly informed, that Great Man, when a Circumftance relating to him was under your Con. fideration during the laft Seffion of Parliament, was mentioned in this Place, not only with Deference and Refpect, but with the highest Encomiums by the most Eminent Members of this Houfe. And I hope the most private Man may take the Liberty of expreffing his Gratitude to the Duke of Marlborough, fince there is no private Man in England who is not obliged to him. Those who are represented as his Adverfaries and Enemies, are only those who will always be fo; I mean fuch who are Friends to the Pretender and the French King, whofe Hopes he hath often and gloriously defeated. If any one queftions what I have faid concerning the French King's Letter, upon the railing of the Siege of Landrecy, let him read that Letter,

Letter, and fee what other Interpretation can be put upon it.

The laft Sentence of this Paragraph I think defends it felf, and is founded upon this Maxim, which I fancy no Gentleman will deny, That it is not a Crime to speak the Truth. Here is what follows in the gift and 328 Pages of the Crifis.

The most important Article between France and England, is the Demolition of Dunkirk; which they have begun contemptuously and Arbitrarily their own way. The Mole and . Harbour, which only are dreadful to us, are "yet untouch'd; and just Suspicions given that they ever will be.

Sir, I always poftpone my own private Safety to that of my Country; and therefore heartily wish that I lay open to the Cenfure of this House for what I have here advanced. I fay,' Sir, that I heartily with, tho' I might have fared the worfe for it at this time, that the* Event did not Juftifie thofe Apprehenfions, which I have here, and in other Papers expreffed, in Relation to Dunkirk. I have regulated my Thoughts on that Subject, by the Treaty of Peace which has been published for the Perufal of her Majesty's Subjects. It was thereby Stipulated, that the Mole and Harbour fhould be first Demolished: But instead of this, the French (for it is there I lay the blame) have only demolished the Fortifications towards the Land; and thus, as I have faid in another place, the Queen's Garrifon is expofed, by levelling the Works, to the Mercy of the French; and the Mole and Harbour, which were firft to be Demolished, stand as they did. Will any one fay that

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that this Proceeding of the French, fo contrary to what was ftipulated by the Articles of Peace, is not begun Contemptuously and Arbitrarily their own way? The Time ftipulated by the fame Treaty for the Domilition of the Mole and Harbour, is long fince elapfed; and no longer fince than a Week ago, as I can prove by inconteftable Evidence, they were actually repairing that very Mole, which fhould have been long before this a heap of Ruins. Thefe, and many other Reasons which I forbear infifting upon, will, I hope, explain what I have faid in this Paragraph, to every Gentlemnn's Satisfaction. Here is that which follows marked in the Crifis, P. 32.

Landau and Fribourg are taken, and in case there is no intermediate Peace, which may still "be more immediately fatal to us, two hundred 'thousand French may be ready in the Spring to invade the Empire, and reftore the Elector of Bavaria to his forfeited Dominions.

Will any one fay there was no Danger to be apprehended from a Peace, which was treating, according to our publick Accounts, without her Majefty's Interpofition? and when we had reafon to fear that her Majefty's Minifters had no Opportunity given them of promoting any thing in it for the Good of their Country, as not being let into the Secret? Have not our publick Prints told us, that England was not mentioned in the Treaty? Do they not speak of private Articles, reciprocal Complaifances, and feveral other Particulars, which prove that the Apprehenfions I here mention were not altogether groundless?

The

The next Paragraph is only matter of Fact, and an Inference from it, which cannot be controverted. Here it is.

Thefe Incidents happen when the Capital of Auftria, the Refidence of his Imperial Majefty, is vifited with the Plague. The Male 'Line of that Houfe is likely to terminate in ' himself; and fhould it please God to take ' him off, and no King of the Romans chofen,

a Prince of the Houfe of Bourbon would bid 'fair for the Imperial Dignity; after which Day, farewel Liberty, Europe would be • French. *

Here is the Paragraph that follows:

But the Scene is not yet clofed; Por'tugal, which, during the War, fupplied to us the place of Spain, by fending us vaft Quan'ties of Gold in Exchange for our Woollen 'Manufactures, has only at present a Sufpenfion

of Arms for its Protection, which Sufpenfion 'may poffibly laft no longer than 'till the Ca'talonians are reduc'd; and who knows but the old Pretenfions of Spain to Portugal · may be then revived? 1 mention the Catalo nians, but who can name the Catalonians without a Tear! Brave unhappy People! drawn into the War by the Encouragement ' of the Maritime Powers, from which only 'a Nation encompaffed by Land by France and Spain could hope for Relief and Protection, now abandoned and expofed to the Refent· ment of an enraged Prince, whofe Person and Intereft they have always oppofed; and " yet ftill fo fond of their Ancient Liberties, that tho' hemmed up in a Nook of Land by the Forces of the two Crowns, and closely

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befieged