A. D. vy Seal, and her Majefty's Plenipo1713. tentiary at the Congrefs at the Hague, who was fucceeded in the See of Briftol, by Dr. Smalridge Dean of Chrift Church, and in the Privy Seal by the Earl of Dartmouth.

The Parliament having fat out (near upon) its three Years, a Proclamation was published on the 18th of Auguft to diffolve it, and appoint another to be chosen against the 12th of November.

On the 30th of Auguft Duke D'Aumont had his Audience of leave, and foon after returned to France. The Duke of Shrewsbury was alfo by that Time returned to London from his Embaffy to that Court.

On the 26th of September the Demolition of Dunkirk was begun, under the Inspection of Col. Armfrong and Col. Clayton appointed by Patent under the Great Seal Commiffioners for that Purpose.

In the fame Month the Marquifs de Miremont arrived at London from Utrecht, and waited upon the Queen to thank her for the Release of 136 Proteftants, who by her Procurement were difmiffed the Gallies of France, and to defire her good Offices for the Deliverance of 185 more of thofe poor Sufferers ftill remaining

in the fame Tribulation.

The Elections for the Parliament of Great-Britain were now carried on with great Warmth by the two Parties.

On the 17th of February the Parliament met, and Sir Thomas Hanmer was chofen Speaker of the House of Commons. On the 2d of March her Majefty made her Speech, wherein the fignified the Conclufion of the Treaties of Peace and Commerce with Spain, asked the neceffary Supplies of the Commons, complained of feditious Papers and factious Rumours, and recommend. ed Unity, &c. For which moft gra

cious Speech both Houfes presented their Addreffes of Thanks.

On the 2d of February Dr. Sharp, Lord Archbishop of York departed this Life: To fucceed whom her Majefty immediately named Sir William Dawes Lord Bishop of Chefter, and foon after Dr. Glafri was named Bishop of Chefter.

It was on the ift of March the: the Peace between Great Britain and Spain was proclaimed at London with the ufual Solemnities; wherein the Duke of Anjou, Grandfon of Frant, is acknowledged to be Catholick King.

The Emperor, as we have faid, could not accept of the Conditions that had been propofed at Utrecht, and chofe rather to continue the War; but the Lofs of the two Fer treffes of Landau and Friburg, which the French took laft Campaign, in clined him to liften to the Overtures of Peace that were made to him on the part of France, and Con ferences of an Accommodation were about this Time begun to be held at Raftadt between Prince Eart of Savoy and Marshal Villars. And by the middle of March the Tas for a Peace were concluded, which were to be explained and compleat ed in the future folemn Treaty be held at Baden in Switzerland.

The Parliament of Great Britan went on with the Bufinefs before them. They voted 10,000 Men for the Sea Service, and 245,700 for the Ordnary of the Navy, 386,427. for Guards and Gami fons. And on the 24th of May. 107,831 . for the Forces in Flandr and at Dunkirk till Michaelmas ; together with the Monies neceffary for maintaing the Forces in the Weft-Indies, for the Half Pay Officers, &c. To raife which, and the Money for the South Sea Conpany, they gave the Land Tax for

in the Pound, the Malt Tax, and feveral Duties upon Coals, Stamps, Leather, &c. for a Fund of 105,000 1. ber Annum, to raise 1,400,000 7. by way of Lottery.

About the Middle of April the French began in earneft to fill up the Harbour of Dunkirk, and demoifhed the Citadel. But at the fame ime they began alfo to make a Caal at Mardyke, which would have erved for all the Purposes the Harour of Dunkirk had done. They proceeded with great Induftry in his Work, and had very nigh rought it to Perfection before the Death of King Lewis XIV. notvithstanding the Application made n our Part against it; efpecially fter his prefent Majefty came to he Crown But by the Refolution of King George it is now demolish

d.

On the 24th of May the Duke of Beauford died, and was fucceeded n his Honours and Estates by his Son.

The French Minifter at this Time 1otified to the Queen the Death of the Duke of Berry, who died on the 4th of May 1714, N. S. after four Days Sickness, and thereby the whole numerous Family of King Lewis XIV. (which he fo much prided himself in) were reduced to the fingle Perfon of the young Dauphin late Duke of Bretaign; except Philip now on the Throne of Spain.

The Spirits of the Jacobite Party being at this Time high, the Houfe of Lords addreffed her Majefty against the Pretender; which occafioned a Proclamation, dated June 21, offering a Reward of 5,000l. to any who fhould apprehend the Pretender landed, or attempting to land, in Great Britain or Ireland. Which the Houfe of Commons were fo pleafed with, that they voted an Addrefs of Thanks, and therein declared they would grant One Hundred Thou

fand Pounds more out of the firft Aids, to any who fhould perform fo great Service. The Lords alfo made an Addrefs of Thanks for this Proclamation.

On the 25th of June the Bill intituled, An Act to prevent the Growth of Schifm, &c. having pafs'd both Houfes, received the Royal Affent. Which Act being fince repeal'd, 'tis needless to say more of it.

On the 25th of April, Baron Schutz (who was a Minifter of the Elector of Hanover) made a Vifit to the Lord Chancellor, and, after usual Civilities, ask'd of his Lordship, in the Name of the Electoral Prince, to make out a Writ for his Electoral Highness's fitting in the House of Peers as Duke of Cambridge. The Lord Chancellor reply'd, it was not ufual to make out Writs for Peers that were out of the Kingdom, however, he would apply to her Majefty for Directions, and a Council being that Evening call'd, her Majefty gave Direction for the Writ accordingly. But the Queen refenting the Manner of Baron Schutz's demanding it, by applying to the Lord Chancellor, and not to herself, fhe caufed him to be forbid the Court, and foon after he return'd to Hanover.

This Matter made a great Noise, and occafion'd various Speculations, especially in the Minds of the Miniftry, and fo far affected the Queen, that her Majefty wrote Letters to the Court of Hanover in very expoftulatory Terms thereupon. These Letters bore Date, May 19, 1714. And on the 8th of June, N. S. the Princefs Sophia departed this Life, being feized with a Fit of an Apoplexy, as fhe was walking in her Garden, a Day or two after she had read the Queen's Letter.

On the 2d of July the House of Lords took into Confideration the Treaty of Peace and Commerce M m 3

with

A. D. with Spain, and after long Debates, 1714. and hearing the Merchants concerned, during the feveral Days they were upon it, (wherein the LordTreafurer feemed to favour the Merchants, whom the Lord Bolingbroke ftrenuously oppofed) they refolved to prefent to her Majefty the following Representation:

·

Moft Gracious Sovereign, We your Majesty's mott Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, having taken into our ferious Confideration the prefent State of Trade between your Majefty's Subjects and Spain, do beg leave humbly to reprefent to your Majefty, That upon the Examination of Merchants at the Bar, and perufing and confidering feveral Representations and Papers laid before us by your Commiflioners of Trade, it appears to us, that the carrying on the Trade between your Majefty's Dominions and Spain, on the Foot of the prefent Treaty of Commerce, as it ftands ratified with the three explanatory Articles, is attended with infuperable Difficulties; and therefore we earneftly befeech your Majefty to ufe fuch effectual Means for procuring fuch Alterations to be made in the fame, as may render the faid Trade practicable and beneficial to your Majefty's • People.

6

Thefe Debates, together with a Competition that was feen to be arifen between the two chief Minifters, haften'd the Conclufion of the Seffion; fo that on the 9th of July her Majefty came to the Houfe, and having pafs'd the Acts, and made her Speech, the Parliament was prorogued to the 10th of Auguft.

The Animofity which had for fome Time paft privately exifted between the Lord Treasurer and the

Lord Bolingbroke, broke out into an open Rupture as foon as the Parliament was up, fo the Queen (who had for a great while been in bet a weakly State of Health) was perpetually tormented with their Brangles; the often made a Reconciliation, but Bolingbrake not being able to bear the being Second in the Miniftry, labour'd fo hard in tripping up the Heels of the other, that he prevailed at laft. And on the 27th of July her Majefty took the Treafarer's Staff from the Earl of Oxford.

This Removal occafion'd fach Divifion, Confufion and Contention at Court, and gave the fickly Queen fuch Trouble and Vexation, that in the general Opinion it brought up on her Majefty the Fit that ended in her Death. It is certain very warm Expoftulations and moft bitter Reproaches pafs'd in the Queen's hearing, between the falling Minifter and thofe who were the ince diate Promoters of his Ditgrace, which undoubtedly very much fhocked and perplexed her Majefty.

The Removal was fo fudder M, that no Care had been previouty taken for filling up his Place; nor indeed when the Cabinet Counc met that Night, and fat till Two the Morning, could they agree upon the Commiffioners to be for de prefent made Ufe of; neither could the Council, which fat next Dar, conclude upon it, thofe to who they were willing to offer it, dec ning the Employment. On the 29 the Sitting of the Cabinet Coc was put off by the Reafon of the Queen's Indifpofition, which he was fenfible was occafion'd by the Qrel among her Minifters, and deca to her nearest Attendants, fee not outlive it.

Her Majefty continued extre ly ill the remaining Days of Life, being frequently taken Lethargick and almoft Apopin

Fits, which occafion'd a current Report, on the Friday before the Sunday hat he died, that fhe was dead aleady. But being come to herself, he Dukes of Somerfet and Argyll hought it proper to enter the Council Chamber upon this fo extraorlinary an Occafion, altho' not fumnon'd for fome Time paft, and proofed the Duke of Shrewsbury for Lord High Treasurer, which the rest concurred in, and her Majefty gave im the Staff accordingly.

The coming of these two Lords nto the Council gave a new Spirit o that Rody, and immediate Orers were given for putting the Kingdom into a State of Defence, vhich had been of late too much eglected. The Guards were douled, and all poffible Precaution taten to preferve the publick Peace, n Cafe of her Majefty's Demife. And her Majefty continuing exreamly ill, on Saturday they wrote Letter to the Elector of Brunswick, o give his Highness an Account of the ill State of the Queen's Health, which was fent away Exprefs by Mr. Craggs. They alfo order'd the

Garrison of Portsmouth, which had been ftrangely neglected, to be reinforced. Order'd Brigadier Whetham down into Scotland; appointed the Earl of Berkley to command the Fleet; and finally took all poffible Care to fecure the quiet Succeffion in the Throne to his Electoral Highnefs, our present gracious Sovereign King George.

On Sunday the 1ft of Auguft, between Seven and Eight in the Morning, her Majefty Queen Anne expired, in the 50th Year of her Age, being born the 6th of February 1664-5, and in the 13th Year of her Reign; having fat on the Throne from the 8th of March 1701-2, and fo reigned 12 Years, 4 Months, and 23 Days.

Her Death was extreamly lamented by her Subjects, who, during her whole Reign, had an entire Affection for her.

She died without Iffue, altho' fhe had been Mother of many Children, but they all died young except the Duke of Gloucefter, who lived, as we have faid, to the Tenth Year of his Age.

The moft illuftrious Princefs Sophia was the fifth and youngest Daughter of Frederick V. Elector Palatine and King of Bohemia, and of Elizabeth eldeft Daughter of James I. King of Great Britain. She was born at the Hague the 13th of October 1630, and in the Year 1658, was married to Erneft August Duke of Brunswick Lunenburg, who in the Year 1692, was made an Mim 4

Elector