University of California Southern Regional Library Facility 8#;^M.Sii^^if^^;^^^>^4JK^^WiS..^^ '*iN :.^^^' THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES .\ I ♦ ' X -r^ r ^? n i/^«l • ^ . T^BI^ \ L-^ ^ t ■ * ' ^- • THE HISTORY O F GREAT BRITAIN, FROM THE RESTORATION, TO THE ACCESSION OF THE HOUSE OF HANNOVER. By JAMES M A C P H ER S O N, Efq; VOL. II. LONDON: Printed for W. STRAHAN; and T. CADELL, in the Suand. MDCCLXXV. V. ^ CONTENTS O F T H E SECOND VOLUME. WILLIAM AND MARY. CHAP. I. Ohfervations. Dtfcontents. Intngties ivitb the Whigs.-- Vieivs of James's friends.— ——'Correfpojidence of Marlborough and Riiffeh ProjcSl of an invafion. Preparations oflVil- liam.' James at La Hogiie. Vigorous meafures.'-'— French defeated. Ohfervations.' -Affairs at fea. Campaign of 1692. Namur taken. Battle of Steinkirk. Confpi- racy againjl William. Carnpaign in Savoy .-^—Tojing s for ~ geries. Difcontents. Parliament meets. /// humour in both houfes. Remonftrance againft foreigners. Proceed- ings. A place-bill reje6ied by the lords. Bill for fjjorten- ing parliaments rejetled by the King. Affairs of Ireland. Grievances of that kingdom. A remonf ranee. Parlia- ment prorogued. Affairs of Scotland. Obfcquioufnefs of the Scots. Ill-requited by William. Intrigues of fames. His declaratioji. Legal feverities. Campaign of 1693. Battle of Landen, Refedions. Campaign on the Rhine In Piedmont In Spain In Hungary S?nyrna feet taken, Difcontents. Intrigues of King •^ 2 James, %rmf^i9^ iv CONTENTS. yames. Whigs and Tories promifcuonjly in his intereji. The clergy favour him. Parliamejit meets. Proceedings of both houfes. p. I CHAP. 11. Secret intrigues. Of Marlborough. RuJJel. Shreivsburj. Godolphin, Sunderlmul. Whigs and Tories in office. An expedition againjl Brejl. Betrayed by Marlborough^ Campaign of 1694. Proceedings of parliament. ■ Triennial bill. Death and chara^er of the ^leen. Grief of William. RefeHions of fames. LancafJAre plot. Inqnirv into abufcs. Speaker expelled. Corrupt praSlices in India affairs Duke of Leeds impeached. Parliament prorogued. Campaign ofiGg^. Siege ofNamur. Cam- paign in Italy, Germany, and Spain. Difaflers at fea. ^ Affairs of Scotland. Affairs of Ireland. Intrigues of James in England. -Situation of William. His progrefs. A nenv parliament. Debates on the coin-aB. Addrefs againfl the Scots. Neiv council of trade. Addrefs againfl the Earl of Portland. Affaffination-plot. A projecied inva- ■ fort. Zeal of the tivo houfes. Schemes of the late King broken. Confpirators punijhed. Proceedings of the par- liament. P- 59 CHAP. III. Exhaujled fate of France. Her ijitrigues, and defire of peace. Campaign of 1696. Advances toivard a treaty. Domefic affairs. Proceedings of parliament. Penivick's cafe. An obfequious fffion. Congrefs at Rfivick. Peace oppofed by the Emperor.—— -Intrigues for the Spanijh fuc- cejfion. Campaign of 1-697. Crovi^n of Poland offered to King CONTENTS. King James. Secret 'vieivs of that Prince. William haf- tens the peace. He agrees that the Prince of Wales flooidd fucceed to the throne,— — 'Reflexion. The propofal reje6led by fames. France peremptory in her demands. The treaty of Rif-wick figned. A feffton of parliament. Vie"JOs of par- ties. — — The army dijhanded. The King difgiifed. Pi-o~ vifion for the civil lift. 'The commons refractory. Parlia- ment difhlved.—-'Negociations for the SpanfJj fucceffion. Firjl treaty of partition propofed. The King in Holland. • Scoti/fj and IrifJj affairs, Treaty of partition figned. • A new parliament. The commons refra£lory. The army again reduced. William threatens to abandon the govern- ment. He yields to the commons. Solicits them in vain for his Dutch guards. P- Hj CHAP. IV. A general tranquillity. Second partition - treaty. Infolence of the SpanifJj ambaffador. Affairs of the North, Scotifjj affairs, Change in the minifiry, A feffton of parliament. ———Iri/]} forfeitures. Viole^ice of the commons. Bill of refumption. King dfgiifed. -Affairs of Scotland. -A- petition in the name of the ivhole nation. 77^^? King offended. •Minifiry changed. Chara^er of Lord Somers. Wil- liam and France on good terms. Affairs of the North. Scotiflo affairs. A general ferment, Violence of the dif contented.— ^—Tieath of the Duke of Gloucefter. Death and •will of the King of Spain. Refentment of the Emperor. . Domejlic affairs. ScotifJj parliament gained. A neiv par- liament in England. Steps tonvard a ivar. —Settlement of the crovon. Reflexions. Proceedings in parliainent.' • The King's prudence. Various impeachments. Proceed- ings. Difference between the houjts, Reflexions. 6 Campaign- .Ti CONTENTS. Campaign in Italy. -Triple alliance. Exhaujled fiate of France and Spain. Death of King James. His fon oivned in France.— —Preparations for ivar. -King declines in his health. Contefl betiveen parties. Affairs of the North. A ?ieiv parliament. King^s death. His private cha- ra£fer. His p2ibHc conduct. Refle^lions, p, i6j Q^U E E N ANNE. CHAP. V. Accejfion of Anne. State of parties.-"— Her frjlfpeech to par- liamnt. She refol'ves to profeciite the ivar.— —A general ferment. Neiv minifry.. Marlborough and Godolpin in chief Poiver. They correfpond ivith St. Germains. Parlia- ment prorogued Affairs of Scotland. A great ferment.— — A fcceffton of 7nembers Acl of fettlement reje^ed. Cam- paign of i']02. Operations atfea. Succefs before Vigo. Neiv parliament. Proceedings. Peiifton reffed to Marl- borough. His intrigues ivith St. Germains.— —'Bill againfl occafional conformity. Divifion betiveen the hoifes.— Par- liament prorogued Conduct of the Whigs. ^leen favours the Tories. - Court of St. Germaiiis apply to Marlborough.—— Affairs of Scotland. Character of the Duke of Hamilton. His inf ructions from St. Germains. Neiv parliament ASl of fecurity. A£i of fettlement rejected. Violent heats. State of Scotland.) ivith regard to England. Affairs of Ire- land. Campaign of 1703. Progrefs of the French and Bavarians. Operaticns on the Rhine — In Flanders — and at ' j-^a. Affairs of the North. A feffion of parliament. Ample flip plies. A dreadfultempefi. Bill againf occafional conformity. Scotifh plot. CharaSier of Simon Frazer.— — His crimes. His plot difcovered, Difpute betiveen the houfes. Parliament prorogued. p. 227. 8 CHAP. CONTENTS. vir CHAP. VI. State of parties. Tories difmijjed. Campaign of I'jo^. Attack at Dona'-juert. Battle of Blenhe'wi. Its great confequences. Campaign m Flanders and Portugal, and in Italy. Gibraltar taketi. Battle of Malaga. /Affairs of the North. Secret intrigues of Marlborough Affairs of Scotland. Intrigues of parties. Act offecurity. -Re- JleBions. Secret negociatiofts. Parliament of England meets. State of parties.— —^Bill of occafional conformity. ■ Proceedings. Marlborough^ s intrigues ivith the court of St. Germains. ^larrel betiveen the hoifes. Affairs of Ire- land. Godolphin intimidated., joins the Whigs. Parlia- ment diffolved. Campaign of 1 7 ©5. Death and charaBer of the Einperor. Campaign in Flanders., Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Succefs in Spain. — -^Affairs of the North. Affairs of Scotland. Intrigues of the Jacobites. Act for treating about an union.' A neiv parliament in England.—— Proceedings. Inconfffency of the Tories. Motion for in- tuiting the Princefs Sophia. Bill of regency. Proceedings •with regard to Scotland. Parliament prorogued. Secret conduEl of Godolphin. Campaign of 1706. Battle of Ra- millies. Conquejl of Flanders. Battle of Turin. Suc- cefs of the allies in Spain. Campaign in Germany. Naval tranfaclioJis. Affairs of the North. Articles of Union fettled. Scotifh affairs. Intrigues of the Jacobites. Tumults and debates. Arguments againfl the Union. — — The articles approved.'— — RefleBions. Peace offered by France. —Parliament of England ratines the Union. Di/lrefs and pre- parations of France. — Campaign of lyoy. — Battle of Almanza. — Siege of Toulon.-— — InaBive campaign in Flanders, p. 289 CHAP.. vUi CONTENTS. CHAP. VII. Difcontents in Scotland.— —Intrigues of France. Hookes ne- gociations. Secret •vieijus of Godolpbin,-—— ^Marlborough'' s intrigues. An oppofition formed. Firfi parliament of Great Britain. Hoife of lords refraflory. Examination into public affairs. Scotifh affairs. A zeal for ivar.- Harley^s intrigues. He is difmiffed from office. An in- vafion threatened. Pretender fails from Dunkirk; — but returns.— ——Obfer nations on the invafion. Vieivs of the Scot'flj Jacobites.— —Parliament dijfolved.—— 'Campaign of I'joS.—— Battle of Oudenarde. Siege of Life. Siege of Brufjels raifed. Corrupt pra6lices of Marlborough and Cado- gan. Operations on the Rhine — in Savoy— and in Spain. — — Sardinia and Minorca reduced. Affairs of Italy. Death of the Prince of Denmark. Neiju Parliament. Whigs promoted. Laivs of treafon extended to Scotland. An a£l of grace. Parliament urges the ^een to marry. Propofals of peace. '-Diflrefs of France. Extraordinary ■terms. Preliminaries reje^ed by the allies. Marlborough favours the Pretender. Secret intrigues of Godolphin. Pretender s views. '—Campaign of 1709. Battle of Mal- plaquet. Retreat of the French. —Operations on the Rhine — in Danphine — and Spain. Naval affairs. Battle of Pultoiva. Overtures of peace. Secret intrigues. Affair of Doctor Sacheverell. He is impeached. A ge- neral fermetit. His trial. — -^Preliminaries offered by France. ■ ■■ Conferences at Gertruydenberg. Campaign of i"] 10. — -— Operations in Flanders — Germany — and Savoy.— "—Battles of Ahnenara — Sarragoffa— Villa-Viciofi. — — Naval affairs. Affairs of the North, p. 373 CHAP. CONTENTS. ix CHAP. viir. State of domejl'ic affairs. Steps towards a change. hnpru- dence of Godolphin and ohjlinacy of Marlborough. Sunderland df miffed. The allies interpofe. Leaders of the M^higs dif- ■ graced. CharaBer of the Earl of Wharton. Marlborough offers his fervice to the Pretender. He receives a letter from the exiled ^leen. He applies to the honfc of Hannover. He accufes Harley of Jacobitifm. Uneafmefs of the allies and hopes of France. Secret vieivs of the court of St. Germains. Godolphin^ s projed for the Pretender. His charaSler- A total change in the minifry. Intrigues of St. John and HarcQurt. Whigs and Tories apply to Hannover. Nenv parliament. Inquiry into mifmanagemeMs. Coldnefs to^ivards Marlborough. Immenfefupplies. Harley fabbed. ' He is made Earl of Oxford and lord-treafurer. Parallel betiveen him and the Earl ofRochefler. Schemes of the Pre^ fender. He -writes to ^teen Anne. Endeavours to gain the minifry. Their profefftons to the family of Hannover. ■ Death of the Emperor. Campaign of iji i. — In Flanders. — • In Germany., Savoy, and Spain. Naval affairs. State and njieivs of the houfe of Bourbon. — And of the BritifJj minifry. Advances toivards a peace.' - A memorial from France. Preliminaries of Great Britain. Mr. Prior fnt to France. Menager fent privately to London. Prior difco- 'uered on his return. The preliminaries becoiiie public. ■ Are defended by the minifry. -They refolve upon a peace.' Intrigues of Buys, the Dutch ambaffador. EleBor of Hanno- tver oppofes the peace. Intrigues of Bothmar. Dangerous fchemes of the Whigs and confederates. Marlborough' s zeal for the Pretender. Affair of the medal in Scotland. Afefjion of parliament. Intrigues of the allies and Whigs. The lords Vol. II. a declare CONTENTS. declare oga'mji a peace. Djike of Hamilton's patent rcjecled • Proceedings of the commons. Dijgrace of the Duke of Marlborough. Catfe of that meafnre. Ohfervations on his chara^er and condii ft.'-— '-Reflections. p. ^^47 CHAP. IX. Vietvs of the lord-treafurer. Dangerous fchemes of the Confe- derates and Whigs. Tzvelve new peers created. Arrival and character of Prince Eugene. His fchemes. Projects of Marlborough and Bothmar. Prince Eugene's ifiolent propofal. He is difg%fled ivith the Whigs. His plot difcovered. Conflernation of the ^een and miniflry. — Lord treafiirers prudent conduct. Proceedings of the com- mons. Their anunadverfions on the JVhigs. They cenfure the barrier-treaty. They examine the conduct of the alliei. Prince Eugene returns to the Continent. ~ -Congrefs at Utrecht. Death of the Princes of France. Alternatives offered by Great Britain. King Philip renounces his title to the French croivn. Anxiety of the ^een for peace. Her attachment to the Pretender. He "writes to the ^leen. Artifce of the Earl of Oxford.- He deceives the Jaco- bites. I'he ^teen lays the terms before parliament. Arguments for and againfl the peace. Proceedings. Cam- paign of 1712. Inactivity of Ormond. Conflernation &f the allies. Intrigues of Marlborough. A fufpenfto7t of arms. Affair of Detiain. The allies defeated. Rapid progrefs of the French. Bolingbroke fent to France. He fettles terms it>ith M. de Torcy. The States eager for peace. The ^leen interferes for them. Her vieivs in favour of the Pretender. He declines to change his religion. In- trigues and propofals of t/je Tories. Defgns of the JVhigs. Oxford pays courts in vain., to Hannover, Death of the CONTENTS. the Duke of Hamilton. Marlborough quits, the kingdom. Shreivpiiry Jhit to France. Affairs of the North. .Progrefs of the peace. Secret fchemes of the Whigs. Projeils of the houfe of Hannover. They difrufl the ^een and miniflry. The Eleclor indifferent about the fuccefjlon. Marlborough a fpy on the Pretender. Vieivs of that Prince. Peace of Utrecht. P- 521 CHAP. X. RefleBions on the peace of Utrecht. Critical fttuation of the lord-treafurer. He is hated by both parties. His inenvs and intrigues. ^leen averfe from the houfe of Hannover. Parliament meets. Their proceedings. Treaty of commerce examined. Difcontents of the Scots. CharaEier of the Duke of Ar gyle. Motion for diffolving the Union. Lord-treafurer terrified, Addrefs againf the Pretender. Parliament prorogued. Intrigues and diffenfions in the ca- binet. Cabals of the Whigs. They demand money, in vain, from the Eleilor. Vieivs of the Pretender. Campaign of 17 13. A ferment in Englatid. -Seditious condufl of the Scots. Affairs of Ireland. Jacobitifm of Sir Conflantine Phipps. Diffenfions betiveen the ®uecns fervants.' In- trigues of Bolmgbroke tvith Marlborough. Marlborough correfponds ivith the Pretender. Whigs demand money for poor lords.- — ; — The friends of the houfe of Hannover defpond. ^ ' i -> ^ A general panic— — Mr. Harley fent to Hannover.— ^-^ Some Tories join the Whigs. Peace of Rafadt. Treaty •with Spain. Parliament meets. Miniflry reform the army. The EleBor refifes to gratify the JVhigs. Their un- manly fears. Their confpiracy to feize the Toiver. Succef- fton voted out of danger. Motions of the Whigs' againfl the Pretender. -Their vain fears. Their fcheme to embarrafs the ^een.- A nvr'it for the EleBoral Prince demanded, 3 T^he XI Xll CONTENTS. Thi ^teen^s anxiety. '■■' The Ele^or's demands. -—'^Intriguet of the lord-treafurer. Vieivs of the Pretender.—-'— Procla- mation againji him. 77?^ ^leen endeavours to gain the Elec- tor. Death of the Princefs Sophia State of the miniflry. Parliament prorogued. Open rupture among the miniflry. Concert betiveen Bolingbroke and Marlborough. Their 'uieivs. Difmijfton and character of the Earl of Oxford. Death and chara^er of the ^icen. p. 589 ERRATA. Page. Line. 75 — 8 from the bottom, for /caret re^A/carcely. 75 — Running title, for William and Mary read William III. and fo for- ward to page 79. 98—5 from the bottom, after Kings put a full point. 120 — 7 for gour read 'vigour, — 1 8 for an read on. 145 — fide note, (ax fawlalent rtiA fraudulent. 150 — 5 from the bottom, for negociafions tad aegociation. 156 — 12 for fgneJ read concluded. 159 — 18 af:ei /hould read ie reduced. 160 — 23 for paith iCid part. 197 — fecond (ide note, read all parties, »o8 — " 7 from bottom, for they ivere read // ivas, 213 — 17 for monarch tad monarchy. 214 — I for nvere read ivas ; and for their read his. 226 — 7 from bottom, for to fuggefting thofe read to the /uggtfiiHg ofthofi, 257 — 6 from bottom, for on read 'with, 276 — 13 dele Feter the Second. 286 — fecond fide note, for this plot read his plot, 294 — 3 from bottom, for in rea.d ivith regard to. 349 — 5 after /ell read a/terivards. 3 56 — lall, after met dele in, and for art tend on. for the firft into rend in. for month read March. after ivbole read luas. after had read been. from bottom, for ti.ey teid Jhe. for amba/fador read enuoy extraordinary, from botiom, for him read them. for laas noiv read noiu/ood. for neither and «5r read either and or. I for contejl read concert. 1 7 for /orcid read obliged. 2 360 — II 408 — 12 43' — 4 432 — 488 — 10 5 529 — 10 531 — 10 58+-. -5 5 590 — 616 — I 17 WILLIAM AND MARY. C H A p. I. Obfervahons. Dtfcontents. Intrigues ivith the Whigs.' Vieivs of James's friends. Correfpondence of Marlborough and Rujfel. ProjeB of an invajion. Preparations ofWil~ Ham. fames at La Hogue. Vigorous meafures.' French defeated.-— —Obfer'uations.—^— Affairs at fea. Campaign of 1692. Namur taken. Battle of Steinkirk. Confpi- racy againfl Williani. Caj7ipaign in Savoy. Toutig's for~ geries.~——Difcontents. Parliametit meets. /// humour in doth houfes. Remonflrance againfl foreigners. Proceed- ings. A place billreje6led by the lords.-— —Bill for fjjorten- ing parliaiiients rejeSled by the Kiiig. Affairs of Ireland. Grievances of that kingdom. A remonflrance. -Parlia^ 7nent prorogued. Affairs of Scotland. Obfcqidoufnefs of the Scots.— —Ill-requited by William. Intrigues of James. His declaration. Legal feverities. Campaign of 1693. Battle of Landen. Reflections. Campaign on the Rhine In Piedmont In Spain In Llungary.——^ Smyrna fleet taken.'-^—Difcontents. Intrigues of King James. Whigs and Tories promifcuonfly in his interefl. The clergy favotir him. Parliament meets, Proceedings of both houfes. WILLIAM had obtained the crown, through the folly of CHAP, his predeceflbr. He was now in danger of lofing it, by \_ J- _t his own negligence. Difappointments in their views, obf'nr^ations. had eftranged from him the minds of the Whigs. He difgufted Vol. II. B the I6y2, HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the Tories with the coldnefs of his manner, even when he dif- tinguiflied them mofl: with his favour. The diflblution of the convention-parliament, had diminifhed the Influence of the for- mer, to a degree that offended their pride. They faw a Prince, who had afcended the throne upon their own principles, throwing himfelf into the hands of their political opponents, from an avowed affedlion for thofe prerogatives which he was called to circumfcribe. The fame condudl which deprived the King of the attachment of his firft friends in England, deftroyed his inte- refl: with the party which had accompliftied the revolution in Scotland. In both kingdoms, the feeds of difcontent had been fown with a lavifh hand ; and they gradually rofe to maturity, in the progrefs of events. The people in general, inflamed by dif- appointment, mifled by defigning men, or from levity, fond of change, began to fhow a manifefl: diflike to the behaviour of the King, and the meafures of the crown. They became jealous of foreigners. They complained of an expenfive war, where vic- tory itfelf could produce no advantage to Britain. They mur- mured agalnfl: a Handing army. They repined at the little ufe made of the navy, the great and natural bulwark of England, Bifcontents. THOUGH the enemies of William exaggerated his mifmanage- ments, it mufl: be allowed, that men who judged of caufes by events, had juft: reafon to complain. The cxpences of England,, from the landing of the Prince of Orange, on the fifth of November 1688, to the twenty-ninth of September i<^9i, had amounted to near eighteen millions *. Befides, great arrears were owing to the army in Ireland, the navy was deflitute of ftores, and the fhips were out of repair. The fervice done in the inter- mediate time, exclufive of the change made in the perfon of the Monarch, was far from being adequate to that enormous fum. The war in Ireland had been at firft ftrangely negleded. It was •MS. 1691. Journals paffim. 2 ■ afterwards WILLIAM AND MARY. J afferwards prnferilted with little judgttient, and it terminated in C H A ?•.' no honour. The inhabitants of a few parifhes in the Highlands l — >^ >■ of Scotlari.1, without any aid from abroad, and dcftitutc of the means of war at home, remained in arms againfl; the King, for more than two years. They had once totally defeated his army in the field. The checks which they had received, were neither fplendid nor decifive ; and he owed the pacification which enfued, to the influence of his rival, and his own money \ and not to the terror of his power. England had been, in the mean time, wounded in her pride. Her fleet had been twice defeated. Her enemy rode in triumph in the channel. Her coafts were infulted. She was left naked of troops, and expofcd to invafion \ But William ought not, in common fairnefs, to be blamed for Secret ia- all thefe misfortunes. He reigned over a divided people. His title was difputed by one party. He loft the other, by not yield- ing to their claims upon his exclufive favour. His rival, in the mean time, fupported by a powerful Monarch, either maintained war againft him, within his kingdoms, or hovered over the coaft, with threatened invafions. Deprived by his unhappy manner, and avowed attachment to foreigners, of the afi^edion of the Englifli, he had no friends among his fervants. His councils were betrayed, his orders negle£ted, his perfon hated, his autho- rity defpifed \ His only fafety lay ultimately in the folly of his enemies; and that invincible averfion to the French nation, which the people of England had derived from their anceftors. James had fcarce landed in France, when many of thofe, by whofe defertion he had loft his throne, began fecretly to favour his re- turn. Men, who apparently had the chief hand in the revolu- tion, admitted his agents into conferences, and encouraged their hopes '. The unprepared ftate of France, in the beginning of * MS. 1691. e Nottingham to William, 1690. * Intell. from England. MS. i6^^i. « Rcrelby. B 2 the % HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, jjjg ygjj^ 1689, rendering an immediate invafion of England im- c-- ~ >,---.i^ practicable, James, contrary to his own opinion', was induced ^'' to fail to Ireland. He knew that it was impoflible to hold that cxhaufted kingdom, againft the wealth and power of the Eng- lifli nation. To render his rival uneafy in the pofleffion of his throne, and to furnifh France with an opportunity of aiding him with effed in England, was all that he expeded from his ex- pedition *. with the While James was on the worft terms with his favourite fe£l, the Catholics of Ireland, William, by the coldnefs of his man- ner, and his exertion of the prerogative, loft his influence with the Whigs in England and Scotland. Difcontented friends are frequently the moft dangerous enemies. A plot was formed in Scotland, by the Prefbyterians, in favour of James. Many of the Whigs in England were privy to a confpiracy, which threatened the fubverfion of their former principles. In both kingdoms, thofe inferior agents of the party, who had ruined the late King, were now bufy in procuring his reftoration. Sir John Cochran, Fer- gufon, Wildman engaged themfelves deeply with James ''. The leaders of the party, though they had not avowedly efpoufed the caufe of that Prince, became very indifferent concerning the fate of William. The very fecrets of the cabinet were faid to have been betrayed, by the Earl of Monmouth to Wildman ; and by the latter to the late King '. The Duke of Bolton, the Mar- quis of Winchefter, the Earl of Devonftiire, the Lord Mon- tague were fufpeded ''. The party in general made no fecret of their difappointment, in the Prince whom they had raifed to the throne. Thofe who came over with him from Holland, and fuch as firft joined him on his arrival, hated his perfon and his govera- ment the moft '. f Mem. to Lewis, MS. 16S9. « Ibid. *' Caernisrthen to William, June 13, 1690. ' Mary to William, 1690. '' Caertnarthen to William, 1690. ' Dalryrople's Appen. Stuart-papers. The WILLIAMANDMARY. 5 The retreat of James from Ireland, though unadvifed, chap. precipitate and weak, neither leflened his influence nor in- v — /— » creafed the intereft of William. The Tories, urged by their james^gVins principles, favoured the former. The Whigs, fwayed by their ">^"/f"«"^»' refentmcnt, ftill continued adverfe to the latter. The agents of James were, in the mean time, extremely adive. The Colonels Bulkley and Sackville founded the Marquis of Halifax and the Lord Godolphin. The Earl of Marlborough, inflamed by recent injuries from William, and, perhaps, remembering his former obli- gations to James, began, as fhall hereafter appear, to correfpond with the latter. Admiral Ruflel, difappointed in his own private Tiews, as well as in his public expedations from William, entered into the cabals, in favour of the late King. The Marquis of Caer- marthen, in all his avowed zeal for the revolution, liftened, in fccret, to propofals for the reftoration of James ". While the great ofl^ered their fervice to the late King, that Prince negleded not ta fupport his intereft with confpiracies among the inferior ranks. He correfponded with Fergufon. He informed him of his in- tentions. He aflced his advice". A party was formed in the city in his favour. The Tower was to have been furprized. The guards were to be attacked, on the firft news of his landing. The perfons of William and Mary were to be feized °. The affairs of James wore a like favourable afpedl in Scotland, Their toward the end of the preceding year. The cefTation of arms made by Breadalbin with the Highlanders, had been begun and finiflied by his confent. His firm friend the Earl of Arran had promifed " body for body," to ufe his own expreflion, for the Earl of Argyle and the Marquis of Athol. The Highlanders were again prepared to take the field. Ten thoufand men, under the Duke of Berwick and the Earl of Dumbarton, were to have » Dalrymple's Appen. and MS. 1691. » InfirudUons to G. H.MS. Oft. 1601 ,? Ibid. ^ • ' been views. fl HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, beeri fcnt to Scotland. The Marquis of Athol, the Earls of i- — — -J Argyle and Home, were to have received commiflions, as lieute- nant-generals, from James. The intrigues of James extended, ia England, to the projected meafures of parliament, and even to the very appointment of William's fervants. The delay, at firfl:, in granting the fupply, the facility with which it was afterwards obtained, proceeded from the fecret machinations of the late King's friends. Some of them wifhed to leave the kingdom naked to an invafion, by refufmg money. Others to vote the excife, that their old mafter might enjoy the benefit, without the odium, of that unpopular tax. Under the maflc of patriotifm, theypropofed to attack his enemies. The Bifliops of Salifbury and St. Afaph were to be impeached, for perfuading the clergy to take the oaths to William, as a conqueror. The Marquis of Caer- marthen, though he might not obftrud a refloration, was not, from his temporizing charader, to be trufled. He was, there- fore, to be terrified from office by an impeachment, for declaring that no King could reign in England, as long as the ad of habeas corpus fhould remain in force. The choice of his fucceffor, as minifter, was left to James; and the conteft, for preference, lay- between the Marquis of Halifax and the Earl of Rochefter '. To keep alive the fpirit of difcontent in the kingdom, Fergufon em- ployed, for King James, that very private prefs, with which he had, fome years before, fo much annoyed the Duke of York % Correfpon- THOUGH the Whigs, by their leaders, and the moft of the dence of Torics, in their own names, had made engagements with the late and Ruffelf King, he relied chiefly upon Marlborough and Ruffel. Marlborough had afked, in the moft abjed terms, and obtained forgivenefs for his former condud, fiom James and his Queen \ He even became an ' agent for that Prince. He gained the Earl of Shrewfbucy. Hft » Fergufon'j Memorial, MS. Oft. idg'* ^ ^'^'^' * J*""' '°*' "*9'- tampered WILLIAMANDMARY. f tampered with Caermarthen. He prom Ifed to bring back the Princefs of Denmark to her duty to her father'. He undertook, in feme degree, for the army. He requefted James to invade England, with twenty thoufand men. Though he was not trufted by James, he was, perhaps, fincere in his profeflions, and he efFedled what he promifed. The Princefs of Denmark, gained by his folicitations, warmed with a returning affeftion for her father, or urged by re- fentment for perfonal injuries received from William and her fitter, made her peace with the late King. She wrote to him a letter full of contrition'. She afked his forgivenefs, and promifed to join him whenever he fhould land in England °. Marlborough, judging it vain to corrupt the captains of men of war, as they durft not communicate the fecret to the failors, was the perfon who ad- vifed James to accept of the fervices of RufTel^ To avoid an action with the -French fleet, fliould they fall in his way, would have been impoffible. But it was always in the admiral's power to carry the fleet from the courfe held by the enemy, under the fpecious pretence of orders. The confpiracy was fo great and general, that William feemed to have no friend to apprize him of his danger. Though he difmifled the Earl of Marlbo- borough from all his employments, in the month of January, though he difgraced and deprived of her guards the Princefs of Denmark, his refentment feems to have rather proceeded from a renewal of private quarrels, than from any difcovery of their fecret negociations with the court of St. Germains. .5j^ames hlmfelf had taken all the precautions, which prtuJence or J.llkllgUCS « the advice of his friends could fuggeft, to render his return agree- James in able to the nation. He endeavoured to awaken the feelings of his former fubjeds, with a detail of the injufliiee of his rival and his cwn misfortunes.^ He hoped to rouze their refentment, by re* •May 2otli, 1691. « Dec. loth, 1691. Dec. 169 1. , f .Marlboiough'j Mellage, MS. 1694. Jamw U. 1692. prefenting. Intrigues of HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. prefenting, in a ftrong light, their grievances. He dwelt, in his propofed declaration, on the tyranny of foreigners. He reminded the people of the enormous expences of government, the weight of taxes, the profufion of William, his glaring partiality to his countrymen, the Dutch. He yielded to all the requifitions of the Whigs in favour of the fubjed. He fatisfied the church of England, with regard to religion. The Nonjurors were his deter- mined friends. Theclergy who had taken the oaths offered to return to their allegiance, and they were, with chearfulnefs, received. To fatisfy the world that the Protcftant religion was in no danger, five hundred clergymen had engaged to join the late King upon his land- ing; and to attend him in his progrefs to preach to the people. The deprived bifhops, the moft of thofe prelates, who had tem- porized with William, by taking the oaths, were bufy in incul- cating, upon the inferior clergy, the propriety of reftoring James; while they, at the fame time, alTured that Prince of their zeal and fidelity'. Projea of an ENCOURAGED by favourable accounts from Britain, and taget mvauon. ■' . . to turn the fcale of the war, by placing that kingdom in the hands of a friend, Lewis the Fourteenth began to think ferioufly of an invafion. James poffeffed of his native fubjeds an army almoft equal to the purpofe of the expedition. The tranfports which had carried to Ireland five thoufand French, in the year 1690, had brought back to France as many Irifh. The Englifh govern- ment had been at the expence of fending fourteen thoufand more troops to James, after the capitulation of Limeric. Lewis pro- mifed to tranfport to Britain ten thoufand of this army, with a like number of French troops, under the convoy of his whole fleet, early in the year 1692. He began, in the month of January, •to equip fquadrons of men of war, at Toulon, Brell, Rochfort, and * Stoart-papers, 1693. Port- WILLIAM AND MARY. Port-Lewis. An embargo was laid upon all merchantmen. All privateers were recalled to man the fleet. An army, under the Mtirefchal de Bellefons, filed off toward the coaft of Normandy, Tranfports were prepared. James had concerted his meafurcs with his friends in England. He had fettled his conceilions to the nation. To fecure the Earl of Marlborough, already in difgrace, from the further refentment of William, he agreed, at his own requefl, to except that nobleman from pardon, in his projeifted declaration to his people ". Though fo many perfons were privy to the defigns of James, Preparations though every channel of intelligence brought news of the prepa- ° rations of France, William was ftill a ftranger to his own danger. He, however, made all neceflary preparations for manning the fleet. Prefs-warrants continued to be executed, throughout the month of February. All failors fit for fervicc, were forced to enter on board the navy. The utmoft expedition was ufed iii the' docks and yards. In the firft week of March, all the fliips of force had come round from Portfmouth. Many had fallen down from Deptford, Woolwich, and Chatham, to the Nore. William, upon his arrival in Holland, haftened the Dutch fleet to fca.' The Amftetdam, the Maefe, the North-Holland, the Zealand fquadrons were ordered to proceed fucceffively to the Downs. The combined fleets formed a greater naval force than had ever covered the fea. They confifted of ninety Hiips of the line, witlf ' many frigates and fire-fhips. They carried more than forty thoufand men, with near fix thoufand guns. RufTel, in the Bri- tannia, a firft rate, commanded in chief the whole. He refolved to adhere to his engagements with James. But time and accident broke through all his defigns ''. " Stuart-pafers, 1692. Halrymple's Append. ) Stuart-papers, 1692. Vol. II. C The- 10 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. j^ • The late King had concerted with his friends in England, <—--.,- — » that the French fleet fhould fail early in the year. Had the James arrives preparations of Lewis anfwered his expedations, he propofcd to ogue. p^^ j.^ ^^^ .^ ^^^ middle of March. He, however, left not St. Germains until the eleventh of April. He had, even then, fuf- ficient time to carry his army to England, before the junction of Ruflcl with the Dutch fleet. Befides, that officer continued his correfpondcnce, and afTured him of his firm intention to ferve his caufe. He propofed one of two alternatives. That James fhould fufpend his expedition till winter ; or that he himfelf fhould, under . the pretence of makingadefcent on the coafl; of France, permit the French fleet to pafs. He accordingly applied, but in vain, to the; court of England, for permiffion to attack St. Maloes. He advifed James, by all means, to prevent the meeting of the fleets. None of his officers was trufted with the fecret; and he would, there- fore, find himfelf under a neceffity to fight. A contrary wind, which blew incefTantly for four weeks, hindered the French from failing, and prevented James from conveying his infirudtions to Ruflel. The Toulon fquadron was kept, by the fame adverfe wind, from palfing the Streights. Tourville, with the Brefl fquadron, was, after repeated efforts, driven back to his port. During this interval, the Dutch joined the Englifh in the Downs ''. Ruifel proceeded immediately to St. Helens, and ordered two fmall fquadrons, that cruized on the coafl of France, to join him in that place. Vigorous meafures in England. During this time of fufpence, the government of England were not remifs in their duty. Several of the fervants of the crown were in correfpondence with the late King. But they endeavoured, by a fhew of alacrity againfl: him, to prevent every fufpicion of infidelity. Some imperfect infinuations of a plot had been carried f May 8. to WILLIAM ANt) MARY. ii to William in Flanders. The Earl of Portland arrived, with ^ HA P. fecret inftriKfiions for the Queen. 1 he Earls of Huntington and \.^-^ — -» Marlborough v^rere fent to the Tower, with others of lefler name. ' ^ A proclamation was ifl'ued, for apprehending feveral other per- fons of rank, who had abfconded. A camp was formed between Petersfield and Portfmouth. Six regiments, under orders to cm- bark for Flanders, were countermanded. The lieutenancy were commanded to raife the militia. The fame precautions were ufed in Scotland. But Ireland was left to its fate. Orders were fent to the fleet to fail in queft of the enemy, A declaration, iflued by James before he left St. Germains, was publifhed and an- fwered, by authority. Adllvity and fpirit prevailed every where ; and that terror, which commonly precedes danger, was leflened by the buflle of preparation \ The communication between France and England was, in the Thefleetfalls mean time, completely interrupted. James, during all the time Hogue ^* he had remained at La Hogue, received no intelligence from his friends in London \ Captain Lloyd, who had been difpatched to him by his adherents, with an important meffage, and a letter from the Princefs of Denmark, was detained two months on his way. Tourville, upon a change of wind, failed at length from Breft, with forty-four (hips of the line. He direded his courfe to La Hogue. Unfortunately for that admiral, the combined fleet of the enemy, confiding of many more than double his number of fhips, arrived, at the fame inftant, in the neighbourhood of that place. The weather, in the mean time, was extremely hazy. On the nineteenth of May,, about four of the clock in the morning, the fun having cleared a little the weather, admiral Ruflel defcried the enemy holding, with a very fmall gale at weft and by fouth, their courfe fouthward, on the fame tack with himfelf. They began on both fides to form the- line. Tourville, who had been » Gazettes, 1692. b James ]i. ,(3gz. G 2 irritated 12 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. * 1692. C II A P. li-rltated by a rcflcdlioh thrown on his courage, by tie Seignelay, refolved to fight the enemy, though he was not ignorant of their force. He bore down upon the combined fleets at ten of the clock. The Dutch were in the van. The French admiral threw out the fignal of battle, as he advanced on Ruflel, who lay to receive him, with his fore top-fail to the mafl". wenl"^^^'' ■^T half an hour after eleven, Tourvllle, in the Royal Sun, of one hundred and four guns, brought to, within three quarters of a muflcet fliot, of the Britannia of one hundred guns, com- manded by Ruflel. The reft of the French admiral's divifion fell in with the Englilh line. A fmart engagement enfucd. The two commanders plied their guns very warmly, till one of the clock. The weather, during the engagement, fell almoft calm. Tourvillc was difabled. His rigging, falls, and yards were fhot. His fire began to flackcn. He ordered his boats to tow him to windward. Five frefh fhips of the fquadron, with a furious fire, covered their admiral's retreat. About four of the clock, a thick fog fell on the battle; and the firing ccafed. At half after five, a fmall breeze of wind arofe at Eall. The weather cleared up a little. The French were running on every fide. Ruflel gave the fignal for the fleet to chafe. The fog returned and night came on. The French flood to the Weft, with all their fails. The breeze was fo light, that little way could be made. The fog continued the greateft part of the next day. Toward the evening, Ruflel took in the fignal for the line of battle; and ordered each fliip to make the beft of her way, in purfuit of the enemy. The tide of ebb being done, both fleets came to anchor ; both refolving to take advantage of the next return of the tide \ ^w'.cen In the morning of the twenty-firft of May, all the French I-rer.th OiJps ^- ^^^^ ^^^ advanced toward the Race of Alderney. One and "^ RufTel's Leuer to NottiDgharo, June 2, 1692^ * IbiJ^ twenty W I L L I A ]\i A N D M A R Y. i o twenty howcvor were chivcn eaftward, from the entrance of the ^ ^'^^ ^' Race, by the tide of flood, toward Cape La Hoguc. Three of v ~-_y that number endeavoured to tack to the weftward, againft the ' ^" current. But one of them, after two or three {hort boards ran alhore. The other two were weathered by the fternmofl fliips of Ruilcl's fquadrcn. S'w Ralph Delaval, rear admiral of the red, was ordered to deflroy the three fliips. RufTel himfelf flretched after the remaining eighteen, who hauled in for La Hogue. Five made their efcape eaflward, in the night. Thirteen were ob- ferved, on the twenty-fecond, hauled in clofe with the ftiorc. On the twenty-third, rear-admiral Rooke vv'as ordered, with feveral men of war, the fire-lliips and the boats of the fleet, to deflroy the enemy's fliips. The men of war could not approach. He, however, burnt fix fhips in the night. The remaining feven were deflroyed in the fame manner, the next day. Little reflftance v/as made by the French. Their officers had retired, and the men fled, upon the approach of the Englifti failors. James himfelf is faid to have been a fpedtator of this laft adion^ but Tourville refufed to receive bis advice. The army intended for the invafion were near ; but they had the mortiflcation to be- hold a deftrudion which they could not prevent \ Tnr French owed their misfortunes in the battle, or rather in obfervatlons the aflair of La Hogue, as it has been more juflly called, to their prefumption, at firft, and afterwards to their want of fpirit and fkill. Tourville fupported with little courage and lefs condud, the battle into which he had wantonly entered. The fuperlor fkill of the Engliihi, in managing light breezes of wind and im- petuous tides, gave them a great advantage over an enemy, who were manifeftly conquered in their own minds. The French fuft'ered little in the engagement. Tourville's fliip was the only « Ruflel's letter to Nottingham, June 2, 1692. one 14 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, one in any degree difabled. None was taken, none funk, few iL, .-. 1 even fiifiercd in their rigging. Buflel himfelf, though a man of ' ^^' too much courage not to fight with fpirit, owed his fuccei's more to accident and the folly of his enemies, than his own conduct. Had the Dutch fhewed the fame alacrity in fighting, which they had exhibited upon a former occafion againfl; Tourville, the ruin of the French fleet might have been rendered complete. But the hazinefs of the weather; the very fears of the French, upon perceiv- ing themfelves much outnumbered ; the confufion aad want of plan which prevail in all naval engagements, ought to have faved the victors from the cenfure which fome writers have thrown on their conduit. The chief lofs of the French confiftcd in that of their fhips. Sixteen men of war, between fifty-fix and one hundred and four guns, were burnt. Twenty tranfports fhared the fame fate. Few were killed on cither fide. Among the flain, on the part of the vidors, the mofl: regretted were admiral Carter and captain Haflings ^ ., fl. . RtjssEL, it is certain, meant nothing lefs than to obilru£t the on the aftair v , » o ofLaHogue. fervice for which the French fleet were to fail. His loitering at St. Helens, for ten days after he had pafTed through the Downs ; his applying, in concert with the late King, to the miuiftry for leave to attack St. Maloes ; his calling in the fquadrons that ob- ferved under Carter and Delaval the motions of the enemy; feem all to have been calculated to accommodate the intended invafion. He knew that the fame winds which carried himfelf out of the river, would have favoured Tourville, in leaving Breft. A few days would have brought the French fleet to La Hogue. A few hours would have wafted the invaders to the coaft of Sufl*ex. When James fhould land, he was determined to throw off the mafk and declare fiar tliat Prince. The prudence, or perhaps, the terrors of the government defeated his meafures. They refufed ' Gazette. to ■WILLIAM AND MAR Y. 15 to agree to the propofed defcent. They ordered him to take the CHAP. advice of a council of war. The refult was, that the fleet ftretched * v^— » over to La Hogue. But with a defign to return to St. Helen's in ' ^^* four days. The fate of the Britifh kingdoms depended upon ac- cident. Had Tourville arrived on the coaft of Normandy a few days before, or had the winds detained him till RulTel's propofed return to his old ftation, the crown of England would have been transferred to the late King, without conteft \ James was rather difappointed than rendered defperate, by Condua of the fuccefs of the Englifh fleet. He: laid the blame upon accident. Tra»faftions He continued his correfpondence with Ruflel. He held his former " '^^^ communication with his friends in England. Though the objecft of his reftoration was rendered a little more diftant, he kept it ftill in view. His agents were bufy. The difcontented caballed in his favour. Men in office betrayed to him the fecrets of the cabinet; and, fometlmes, guided their condu£t by his advice'. He retired to St. Germains, where his queen had borne a daugh- ter in his abfence. The Engiifli fleet remained in a ftate of ia- adion, during the refl: of the fummer. The miniftry propofed to carry into execution a defcent on the French coaft, which had been projed;ed in the preceding winter. Ruflel, difcontented with government, and provoked by fome orders fent to him by the queen, which he deemed the eff^ed: of ignorance '', rendered ineffedual a fcheme which promifed no great fuccefs. The French fleet retired to their ports. They had lofl: but a very few men in their late misfortune. They filled the whole channel with their privateers. The merchants fuflained much lofs. The great expectations which the nation derived from the late vidory, were damped with its want of beneficial confequences. The minifl:ry complained of Ruflel, and Ruflel of the miniftry. Cla- ^ Stuart-papers. > Stuart-papers, 1692. James II. '' Burnet, vol. iii. mour. i^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. c n A p. I. ibgz. moiir, tlifappointment, and ill humour prevailed, after an event which promifed general fatisfadion and joy '. Can^paign in THOUGH the fate of England feemed to depend on the ope- i-landers. . . . ... - rations at fea, William turned his principal attention to the war hy land. He was the chain of union hetween the heads of the grand confederacy, the life and fpirit of their councils and armies. The force of the allies had however heen, in fome degree, dimi- nifhed, by the intrigues of Lewis the Fourteenth, and mifunder- itandings between rhemfelves. Difputes between the Emperor and the Eleftor of Saxony, had induced the latter to recal his troops to his own dominions. Sweden and Den:rark continued their neutrality. The Helvetic body difcovered an inclination to favour the caufe of France. To fupply the place of the Saxons, the Emperor and King of England gained the younger branch of the houfe of Lunenburgh to their party. The Dukes of Zell and Elanover, upon the promife of an electoral cap, with a certainty of the inveftiture before the end of the year, undertook to march fix thoufand troops to join the Imperialifts, and four thoufand to reinforce the army of the allies in Flanders. The Spaniards had raifcd to the government of that country, the Elector of Bavaria; a Prince whofe fpirit and abilities promifed to fupport the feeble- nefs of the common caufe, on that fide. France was, in the mean time, adive in her preparations, and prudent in the dif-- pofilion of her armies. The Marefchal de Lorges commanded on the upper Rhine. De Joyeule occupied the country of Eyefeldt. De Boufflers lay between the Sambre and the Meufe. Luxem- bourg, in the name of the Dauphin, commanded in Flanders'". Namur Leavis the Fourteenth and William fet out, on the fame day, to ' taken. _ _ _ . _ ... join their refpedtlve armies. The firft arrived in his camp, on the 4;wentieth of May. On the twenty-third, all his troops were ' Burnet, vol. iii. '" Hift. de France, Tom. iii. iJift d'.''il!emagne, Tom. vii. in I '92' WILLIAM AND MARY. 17 in motion. He fuddenly fat down before Naraur. The King, CHAP, with forty-five thoufand men, profecuted the fiege. He was covered by Luxembourg, with another army. The town was ftrong. The citadel was deemed impregnable. The Prince de Barbafon commanded in the place, with a well-appointed garrifon of ten thoufand men. The famous Coehorn defended, in perfon, a new fort called by his own name. But de Vauban direded the attack. The eyes of all Europe were turned toward Namur. Two great Kings, at the head of two powerful armies, turned their whole thoughts to this important enterprife. A battle, which was to decide the fate of the war, was daily to be expected. The French attacked " the place with Incredible vigour. The town, in fix days, was forced to capitulate". William, in the mean time, advanced, with an army of one hundred thoufand men, and fat down within cannon Ihot of Luxembourg's lines. The fmall river Mehaigne ran between the armies. An inef- fedual cannonade enfued. The French prefled with vigour the fiege of the new fort. Coehorn made an obftinate defence. But being driven from the covered way, on the twenty-fecond of July, and forced to retire with great lofs into the body of the place, he capitulated. The fate of the citadel was foon after de- cided. The garrifon evacuated the place, on the thirtieth of July; and Lewis returned in triumph to Verfailles''. Though William loft reputation, by permitting a place of Battle of fuch importance as Namur to be taken in his fight, his inadi- '"" '"^ * vity may be juftified, in fome degree, by the ftrong pofition of the enemy. The Duke de Luxembourg, one of the beft generals of the age, had ported himfelf to great advantage, on the banks of the Mehaigne. The unfeafonable rains had unexpededly fwelled the ftream, and formed into moraftes the adjoining fields. To make, at firft, an attack, was to rifque a defeat; and the " June 29. N. S. " July ;. f Hill, de France, torn. iii. Vol. IL D place it HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. place furrcndered before William, who was always flow in his councils, could determine upon any vigorous meafure to raife the fiege. To retrieve the glory which he had loft before Namur, William endeavoured to furprife the French army under the Duke of Luxembourg at Steinkirk. The attack was chiefly carried on by the Englilla in columns. They afcended with amazing refo- lution and fpirit the rifing ground, on which a wing of the French army lay encamped. They took pofl^cflTion of their batteries, and were, for fome time, mafters of their line. The whole camp was in confufion. But the aflailants were not properly fupported. The fecond line of the French advanced. The rencounter was obftinate and bloody. The conteft was maintained for four hours. The allies were at length repulfed, having left many thoufands of the enemy, as well as of their own number, dead on the field. Though this bloody battle was attended with no material confe- quences, an undifputed vidory remained to the French. The King gained no reputation for his condudl. But the valour of his troops deferved great applaufe. The generals Mackay, Lanier, and Douglas, the Earl of Angus and feveral officers of diftinclion were killed in this unfortunate field. The Prince de Turenne and the Marefchal de Bellefons were numbered among the flain, on the fide of the French \ A confpiracy The campaign in Flanders languiflied after the battle of Stein- ifam"'^^"* kirk. The difcovery of a plot againft the life of William, and the execution of one Grandval, the pretended afl'aflln, gave occa- fion to much refledion and noife. Lewis the Fourteenth and the late King of England were involved by the difcoverers in this con- fpiracy. But as there is no probability that the former would be guilty of fuch a villainous defign ; fo there is now a certainty, that the latter rejeded, always, with becoming horror, all propofals of the like kind. The incident, however, ferved, at the time, the views < Hift. de France, torn. iii. Gazettes, paffim. of WILLIAM AND MARY. 19 of party; and loaded, with a degree of infamy, an unhappy CHAP. Prince, ah-eady ruined by his folly and misfortunes. The hopes v—— v—~ j of a reward for the difcovery, gave birth, in all appearance, to a plot, laid chiefly at the door of de Louvois, who was lately dead. His fon, de Barbefieux, was accufed of carrying on what his father had begun. But as the odium of the murder itfelf would do more harm, than what could be derived of advantage from the death of William, the prudence of the French court may be trufted with regard to their innocence. The French, in exerting their chief force in Flanders, left Campaign in - . , Savoy, on the their own country expofed, on the fide of Dauphine. The army Rhine, and under de Catinat was found too weak to refifl: the Duke of Savoy. That Prince fufficiently revenged himfelf for the infults which he had received in his own dominions, in the two preceding cam- paigns. He entered Dauphine, in the month of July. He ravaged the open country. He attacked the fortified towns. The furrender of Embrun, on the feventeenth of Auguft, was foon fol- lowed by the taking of Gap. In the midfl: of his fuccefs, the Duke fell ill of the fmall-pox. DIfienfions prevailed among the na- tions which compofed his motley army. He found himfelf obliged to retire, and to evacuate the places which he had feized. On the Rhine, the Marefchal de Lorges defeated the Prince of Wertem- berg, on the feventeenth of September. He forced the Prince of Heife to raife the fiege of Ebenbourg. The Marquis d' Harcourt obtained fame advantages in the county of Chinei; and de BoufBers bombarded Charleroy, on the nineteenth of Oftober. The campaign, upon the whole, ended with fufficlent glory to France. Her allies were not equally fuccefsful, on their fide of the war. Great Waradin was taken by the Imperialifts, after a long blockade ; and thofe diil:ra«Sions, which ufually attend the misfortunes of the Ottomans, involved the Seraglio in blood '. ' Hid. de France, torn. iii. D 2 The ' 20 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A P. The dcirat of the French fleet at La Hogiic had removed the ' ■'- — ' fears of the nation from a foreign enemy ; but the domeftlc Voungs for- tranquillity was ftill difturbed, by furmizes of plots, confpiracieSy ^^""' and treafons. Men in general believed, that fomefecret machina- tions ex i fled, in favour of the late King. No proofs had appeared againft the fufpeded. The Earls of Huntington, Scarfdale, and Marlborough, had been fent to the Tower, upon the accufatioit of one Young ; a criminal, adually under the execution of the law, in Newgate, for forgery. This infamous perfon, by the advice of a prifoner for debt, in the fame gaol, and by the aid of one Blackhead, framed an affociatinn againft the government ; to which he annexed the names of the Earls of Salilliury and Marl- borough, the deprived Archbifhop of Canterbury, the Bifhop of Rochefter, and other perfons of rank. The Bifhop of Rochefler be- ing confronted with Blackhead, detedled the villainy of the accufa- tion, to the fatisfadion of the council. But the court, fufpecling- Marlborough of fome fecret intrigues with James, ftill encouraged Young. His fine was paid, and he himfelf was difcharged from, prifon. Marlborough, in defiance of the habeas corpus a£l, was detained in the Tower, by a chicane of law, even after the grand jury of Middlefex had found a bill of forgery, and fubornation of perjury, againft Young '. Difcontents. These legal feverities recalled the memory of former times; and they feemed more grievous, as they were now lefs expeded. The paffions of men, inflamed by fadion and party were ready to receive impreffions of the worft kind. The prefs groaned with polemical pamphlets. The Jacobites attacked the meafures of government, and accufed the King of a breach of faith to the nation. The Whigs complained of the management of the war, the burden of taxes, theimperfed fecurities of the liberties of the people. They affirmed, that the aid given for the maintenance of » Cafe of the Earls of Huntington and Marlborough. z the W I L L I A M A N D M A R Y. ar " » • 1692. flie war at land had been abfolutely loft. That, inftcad of breakuig C II A p. the power of France, the efforts of the allies had covered her arms with renown. The grand army, under the King in Flanders, they faid, had loft groiand to the enemy. The Germans had received a check, on the Rhine. The efforts of the Spaniards in Catalonia had been feeble and ineffecElual. The retreat of the Duke of Savoy had put an end to the hopes of the allies, on that fide. The navy, though fuccefsful againft the fleet of the enemy, had not been able to prote(3; the commerce of the king- dom againft their privateers. Thefe fuggeftions were received with avidity, by a people accuftomed to blame the meafures of every government. The fiids, though exaggerated, were true in the main ; and men found, in their own burdens, that they had fome reafon to complain \ meets. In the midft of thefe difcontents, William returned to England. Parliament Having arrived from Eruffels at the Hague, on the eleventh of Odober, he embarked, on the fifteenth, in the Maefe; and on the tvv'entieth came to Kenfington. He met his parliament at Weft- minfter, on the fourth of November. He expreffed to them his joy, at having an opportunity of thanking them again for their large fupplics. He hoped, he faid, for their future advice and afliftance againft the exceflive power of France. They had great reafon to rejoice, he faid, at the late vidory at fea. He wifhed that he could tell them of an equal fuccefs by land. He informed them, that the French were repairing the lofs, which they had fuftained in their fleet. That they dellgned to augment their army againft the next campaign. He, therefore, declared, that it was abfolutely neceffary that, at leaft, an equal force fliould be maintained in the enfuing, as in the prefent year ; and he defired the commons to give a fuitable fapply. He was fenfible, he faid, of the heavy charge upon his people. He regretted the inconve- ' Publications, An. 1692. niencc a? HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. I. 1692. nience of fending great fums of money out of the kingdom, for the payment of troops abroad. He promifed to attempt a defcent on France. He took notice of the fignal deliverance from the French invafion. He entertained no doubt of tlieir fupport. He requeued difpatch in their councils. He affured them, that he had no interefl: feparate from theirs. That he had no aim, but to render his people happy. He concluded with obfcrving:, that as he never fpared his perfon for the good of his fubjeds, he would continue to encounter dangers, for the honour and advantage of England °. Illhumourln THOUGH this fpeech feemed calculated to gain the good opinion of parliament, neither of the houfes returned their immediate thanks, by an addrefs. The commons adjourned for a week, the lords for three days. The latter, when they met, inftead of pay- ing their compliments to the King, began to vindicate their own privileges. The lords, who had been committed to the Tower, reprefented their grievances. They were fupported, with great warmth, by their friends. The conflable of the Tower was ordered to produce the warrants of commitment. The judges of the king's bench were commanded to appear before the houfe, to anfwer for their refufal to difcharge the recognizance, into which the imprifoned peers had entered for their appearance. Violent debates enfued. The oppofition, in every motion prevailed. Re- folutlons were framed to guide the judges of oyer and terminer, in their proceedings on the habeas corpus adl. The lords de- clared, that two witnefles of the delinquency were neceflary to juftify the remanding any perfon to prifon, upon his application to be admitted to bail. A motion was made and carried, for en- tering this refolution on the books, as a flanding rule to all future judges. The mode of fetting free the accufed prifoners be- came a matter of great debate. The King interfered. To end * Journals, Nov. 4th, 1692. 3 the WILLIAMANDMARY. 23 the contcfl, he promifed to give cliredions for difcharging the CHAP. bail of the lords, In the king's bench. But fo much influmed < ^-~— » were the majority, that they determined to enter upon no bufi- nefs till the King's promife was adually performed". This concefTion from the court was not fufficient to allav the bothho-jfes. heats in parliament. The commons, on the tenth of November, had voted thanks to the King for his fpeech. They ordered an addrefs to the Queen, acknowledging her prudent sdminiftration in the abfence of her hufband. But they, at the fame time, re- folved to prefent an addrefs, defiring that the alliances made with the States, in the months of April and Auguft 1689, and all other alliances with the princes and ftates of Europe, fhould be laid before the houfe". They entered into an' examination of the management of the war at fea. They voted thanks to Admiral RufTel for his viftory. But they refolved to inquire, why that vidory had not been purfued. This, however, was foon after dropt. A refolution to offer advice to the King, was attended with no better fate. A great animofity againft the preference given to foreigners exhibited itfelf in the debates of the houfe. They refolved, that one article of the propofed advice fhould bear, that he fliould fill all vacancies, as they fhould happen among the general officers, with the fubjeds of Great Britain ; and that the commander in chief of the Englifh troops fhould be an Englifh- man. This refolution was aimed at the Count de Solmes, on whofe condud toward the national troops, at the battle of Stein- kirk, they feverely animadverted*. Notwithstanding thefe fymptoms of difcontent among Afuppijr the commons, that affembly feemed more hoflile to the mi- S""'*'^- nif?:iy, than adverfe to the King. Though James was in cor- refpondence, with fome leaders, in the two houfe§, he had de- * journals ofthe Lords. * Nov. lo. * Journals paflim. fpaired f^n HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1692; CHAP, fpalred of guiding the condud of either, long before the parlia- ment met \ The previous motion of advice was introduced and managed by his friends, fupported by fome zealous Whigs. But this attempt was defeated, by frequent adjournments. On the twenty-fecond of November ^, a general fupply was voted. The commons, on the fecond of December, fpecified the fums granted, for each fervice^ Near four millions were allowed, for the land and fea fervice ; together with feven hundred and fifty thoufand pounds, to fupply the deficiency in the poll-tax of the preceding year. Thefe great fums were raifed by various ways and means. A tax of four fhillings in the pound, was charged upon all lands, according to their yearly value ; with a vote of credit to enable the King to raife money at feven per cent, upon that fund. A fund of credit, for one million, was alfo eftablifhed, on the heredi- tary excife, by way of tontine. But all thefe provifions appear- ing inadequate to the wants of government, an additional impo- fition was laid upon merchandize, before the end of the feffion ^ The lords The lords were much more refradlory than the commons, ory. "JY^Q former feemed offended with the King, as well as with his meafures. The latter fhewed only their dillike to the ading minifter, the Earl of Nottingham. The difcontented lords avail- ed themfelves of the article in the fpeech, where William afked advice of his parliament. Under this cover, they endeavoured to fend a remonftrance to the throne. Thofe who had diftinguifhed themfelves moft for the revolution, were the chief promoters of a meafure, which diftreffed and offended the King. The Earl of Devonfhire, though lord-fteward of the houfehold, preferred his principles to the adherence to the court expelled from his office. The Earls of Shrewfbury, Monmouth, Torrington, Macclesfield, and Warrington, and the Lord Mountague, who were deemed the y Stuart-papers, Sept. 1692. ' Journals, Nov. 22. «Dec. 2. » Feb. 5, 1693. moft WILLIAM AND MARY. 2$ CHAP. I. V- , > moft fteady Whigs, were the moft violent againft William and his partiality to ftrangers. The Earl of Marlborough, yielding tp his own refentment, and in concert with James % appeared a prin- cipal in the motions againft foreigners. The Earl of Bath, who had, four years before, betrayed Plymouth to the Prince of Orange, had engaged to execute the fame fervice for the late King''. To give an earneft of his zeal, he joined heartily with Marlborough. The Tory lords, not in office, fupported the oppofition on popular grounds. Though the majority of the biftiops favoured James in fecret> they adhered, except one, to the court; and feveral peers, who were in correfpondence with the court of St. Ger- Jtnains *, endeavoured to cover their private engagements, by fup- porting, in public, the caufe of William. The parties were fo equally poifed, that almoft the whole 1693. winter was fpent in the fiercell debates. The people themfclves ftrate againft were not unconcerned fpeftators of the conteft. Their jealoufy of f^'^^S"*"- foreigners, the indignity of trufting to aliens the defence of the kingdom, while the native troops were employed abroad, the real and fuppofed infolence of Dutch favourites and officers, com- bined to inflame the paffions of the nation againft the crown. The oppofing lords, in fome meafure, at length prevailed. A remonftrance was prefented ^ to the King, confifting of fire ar- ticles. The peers defired, that the commanding officer of the Englifti, next the King himfelf, fliould be an Englifhman. That the Englifti officers fliould have precedency of all officers of the fame rank in the confederate armies, except thofe of crowned heads. That the twenty thoufand men, deftined for the defence of England, fliould-be all native Englifti, under the command of an Englifti general. That the abufes committed in preffing failors fliould be remedied and prevented. That no foreigners 'Stuart-papers, Nov. 1692, "ilbid. 'Ibid. f Journals, Feb. 25, 1595. Vol. IL E fliould 26 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, fhoiild be permitted to lit at the board of ordnance. William was \_ ..,-.. ^< not of a complexion to grant demands, fo contrary to his fixed ^ prediIe£tions and views. He refufed the requeft of the lords, by anfvv'ering, that he would confider their addrefs. The oppofition had carried their point with fuch difficulty, that they dropt the re^ iiionftrance, without any farther efforts. Their ill humour, how- 'ever, continued ; and filled the whole feifion with ineffedual alter t^ti'oiis and debates ^ Proceedings 'j'j^g oppofition in the houfe of lords, to fhew their own refent- of both '■ '■ houfcs. ment, or to embarrafs the government, difcovered a difpofition to flap the progrefs of the bills of fupply. The meafure was adopted in concert with James'', who notwithftanding his difap- pointment at La Hogue, flill projected an invafion. The Mar- quis of Halifax and the Earl of Mulgrave induced the houfe, by the force of their eloquence, to ingraft a claufe on the land-tax bill, that the lords fhould tax themfelves. The bill was fent down amended to the commons. The lower houfe flew into the mofl vio- lent heat. They rejeded the amendment, without one difTenting voice. The lords agreed to pafs the bill, without alteration, with a formal protefl, on their journals, that though they yielded to the prefent urgent flate of affairs, they had a right to infifl upon taxing themfelves. In other matters, the two houfes were more unanimous. They ordered, by a joint vote, that a pamphlet, entitled, '* King William and Mary conquerors," fhould be burnt by the hands of the common hangman. They addreffed the King to difmifs from his place the licenfer of the prefs, under whofe fandion it had been printed and publifhed. They affumed an appearance of hoflility to the high prerogatives of the crown, while they flrengthened the hands of the King with enormous fupplies '. I Journals. * Stuart-papers, 1692, • Jownals, paffim; Though ^WILLIAM AND MARY. 27 ■'■■^hou'gW this facility in giving money, has been afcribed to fortie corrupt pradlices of the court, it may be juftified from the urgent ftate of the times. The people were plunged in a war, a place bill from which they could not immediately extricate themfelves, [he^'jo^rds/ by land, either with honour or with fafety. To remit in prepa- rations by fea, might have encouraged an invafion. The com- mons, in other refpedls, fhewed little complaifance for the crown. They even appeared to be felf-denied, with regard to the private interefl: of their own members. They introduced and faffed a bill, touching free and impartial proceedings in parlia- ment, which excluded, from the right of fitting in the houfe, all perfons, who fhould accept of any office from the crown. The miniftry found themfelves incapable of oppofing, in the lower houfe, a meafure fo popular. To facilitate the pafling of this important bill, it was not to be in force till the King fhould think fit to call a new parliament. It was fent up to the lords early in the feflion. The malcontents, in the upper houfe, carried the motion in favour of the bill, in the committee. But when it came to be reported, the court party, by the means of proxies, rejected it, by a majority of tv/o votes. The adherents of James were joined with the moft violent Whigs, upon the prefent occafion. The firft wiffied for confufion ; the latter, by yielding to their ro- fentraent, adhered to their profeffed principles ". .1! The oppofition, in the houfe of lords, were not difcouraged Bill for fliort- with the bad fuccefs of the place-bill. As they could not exclude duranorof the members from office, they were refolved to fhorten the dura- P^j'jfn*"' rejected by tion of parliament. The prefent houfe of commons, though re- t^e King. fradory on fome occafions, had rendered their general condu£l grateful to the court. Their oppofition to the high exertions of the prerogative had never been followed with rigour. They were generous in their fupplies, and, perhaps, rather profufe, I' Journals. £ 2 vvitk a8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. with regard to the money of the fubjed. A great majority were Tories, men in general lefs attached to the family of a prince, than to the power of the crown. The Earl of Nottingham and others of their own party had opened a channel of connexion between them and the reigning King. Sir John Trevor, the fpeaker, was a fuccefsful agent, in purchafing the votes of the venal, with money'. Befides, in the prefent divided ftate of the nation, a new election would be at leaft troublefome, if not at- tended with danger. The oppofit-ton perceived the views of their enemies, and they were refolved to purfue their own. The Earl of Shrewfbury moved for a bill, providing for triennial par-- liaments and annual feflions. It paffed the houfe of lords. The commons pafled it by a great majority. William refolved to dif"^ appoint a bill, fo adverfe to the power of the crown. He there- fore rejeded it, when prefented for the royal aflent ". This was the fecondtime he made ufe of a prerogative, which neither of his immediate predecefTors ever chofe to exert. Affairs of The affairs of Ireland commanded a confiderable degree of the- •attention of parliament during the prefent feffion. That king- dom, ever fince its redudtion in 1691, had exhibited one conti- ■ayed fcene of oppreffion, injuftice, and public mifery. The government of James, with all its difadvantages, his own bigotry, the infolence of the paplfts, combined with the fears of the pro- teftants, were all more tolerable than the adminiftration of Wil- liam, ever fmce the furrender of Limerick. Coningfby and Porter^ the lords juftlces, rendered themfelves odious by a feries of fraudsi cruelties, and rapacities. They fold common juftice for money; They fcreened the guilty and oppreffed the innocent, for gain;. To render their proceedings fummary, to clothe their authority -with more terror, and, with moft expedition, to enrich themfelves, they chofe to exert their power in the military way. The corf 1 Burnet, vol. iii. " March 1 4^. ! ruption, WILLIAM AND MARY. 29 ruptlon, at the fource, extended itfclf through every channel of government. The fubordinate magiftrates, the juftices of the peace, as if all law were at an end, made their own will and pleafure the rule of their condudt. Prefuming on their power in the country, they deprived, under the colour of authority, many perfons of their effects ; they difpofTeired many of their lands ". The Roman Catholics, as they had lefs to exped from juftice than the Proteftants, endeavoured to purchafe favour. They applied to thofe in power, through the channel of venality ; and thus the party who had been in arms againlt the Revolution, fared better than thofe who had fupported the caufe of William with the moft zeal, courage, and induftry °. ... On the third of March 1692, the Lord Vifcount Sidney was The gnev- • r 1 . f- T 1 1 T. 1 -1 • 1 ances of that; railed to the govejcjiment or Ireland. j3ut he arrived not in that kingdom kingdom, till the twenty-fifth of the following Auguft. Coningfby, created a Baron by the fame name, with his colleague Porter, continued in the government, in the intermediate time. They prefided in the court of claims, for adjufting the demands of thofe comprehended in; the articles of Limerick.; and the obvious road to tlieij: juftice, was faid to lie through their avarice. The arrival of Sidney in his government, though it might leflen the fear of future oppreffions, diminifhed not the refentment of the people for former injuries. His own condudt feemed more cal- culated to preferve the prerogative of the Crown, than to redrefs the grievances of the fubjed. His fpeech, at the opening of the parliament, was fuited to the times, and well received. But the memory of the part, created an ill humour among the commons. Seventy thoufand pounds had been demanded, as an additional revenue, for the annual and neceflary expences of government. But the houfe were either flow in finding the ways and means, or ignorant where they could be found. Two bills, ready drawnj,, ■ Printed proclamation. . <* Journals, paffim, j 693,- th&. -50 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. o CHAP, the one for an additional excifc on malt liquors, the other for a 'i— — X ' tax on land bearing corn, were fent down from the Irifh privy ^ council. The commons were highly offended at the manner of introducing thefe bills, which were in themfelves, efpecially the latter, highly exceptionable ; and, in fome degree, partial and unjuft. They argued, that though, by Poyning's law, no bill was to be paffed, without the fandion of the Englifli privy coun- cil, it was never deemed that the Irifli commons were precluded from taxing themfelves '. laid before The neceffities of government induced the lord-lieutenant to pailiamen'J hearken to a compromife. The commons confented to pafs the exclfe bill, with a declaration, that the thing Ihould not be drawn into a precedent. But they rejedled the land-bill, as laying an unequal tax upon the farmers. When Sidney found himfelf in poffeffion of the additional exclfe, he gave vent to his refent- ment againft the parliament. He fent for them, on the fourth of November "". He reprimanded them feverely, for invading the prerogatives of the Crown. He prorogued them to the fixteenth of April. Inflamed with what they deemed a public infult, offended at fome private expreffions of indignat ion from the lord- lieutenant, feveral members of the Irifh houfe of commons came, in the name of theii: country, to England, to lay their grievances before the parliament. On the twenty-fourth of February, they laid their complaints, in writing, before the Englifli commons* The lords, at the fame time, took cognizance of the affair, and examined witneffes. Some circumftances appeared, upon the inquiry, which ferved to heighten the mifmanagements of govern- ment, as well as the real grievances of Ireland. The army, in want of pay from the Crown, ralfed money by military diftrefs, from the fubjed, to the incredible amount of two hundred thou- P Journals, paffim. Slone's Narrative. ^ i6Ib;d. late \V I L L I A M A N D M A R Y. Z7 1693. late King, upon conditions. They were accepted vvilhout hefita- c ll^ a P. tion. The high opinion which James always entertained of the importance of the fleet, induced him to apply to the principal officers, with unremitting diligence. Ruffel had promifed, in the preceding autumn, his befl: endeavours to ferve his caufe. But William, in confequence of RunH's oppolition in parliament, and his difputes with the Earl of Nottingham, had deprived that officer of the- chief command. Delaval, Killegrew, and Shovel, were appointed, in a joint coramiffion, to execute the office of admiral. The two firft had been, for fome time, in the Interefl: of the late King. That Prince, encouraged by a very great part)r ia England, and numbering among his friends fome of the iirft officers of ftate, flattered by the engagements of the fleet and the difcontents in the army, promifed to himfelf an abfolute certainty of being reftored, with little oppofition, to the throne. The French King kept the crown of England on the head of Wil- liam. He liftened to the propofals of James. But he enter- tained noferious thought of affifting that Prince, withefi"edl'. Urged by his own hopes, and the zeal of his friends in Eng- His declara- land, the late King prepared a declaration, upon the eight articles "^"^ tranfmitted to France, through the hands of the Earl of Middle- ton. It was dated at St. Germains, on the feventeenth of April ''. He promifed an unlimited pardon to all his fubjeds, an abfolute oblivion of all the pafl:. He declared, that he would immediately call a parliament, inform himfelf, through them, of the inclina- tions of his people, and redrefs, by their concurrence, former grievances, and give every fecurity for their future happinefs. He promifed to protedl the church of England ; to fecure to its members all the churches, univerflties, colleges, and fchools ; to confirm their immunities, rights, and privileges. He pledged his word, to recommend to his parliament an impartial liberty of ' Stuart-papers, 1693. ^ April 17, N. S. Gonfcience, - jg HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. .> ■ confclence. lie declared, that he would never violate the tefV, and that he would leave the difpenfing power of the crown, in other matters, to be explained and limited by the reprefentatives of the nation. He folemnly promifed to give his alFent to all fuch bills as flaould be found neceffary to fhorten the duration of parliaments, to fecure the freedom of elections, the fair returns of members, rnd impartial trials. to the people To regain the favour of thofe who had been moft adive in the ot England, ^^^^ revolution, he engaged himfelf to ratify and confirm all fuch law§, during the government of William, as fhould be tendered to him by his parliament. He declared his willingnefs to re-* eflablifh, in the moft ample manner, the ad of fettlement of Ire- land, as pafled in his brother's reign ; to relinquifli the chimney- money, or any other part of the revenue, as fhould be deemed burdenfome to the people, for any other more eafy aflefTment. He afTured his people, that he had formed his declaration upon the advice of a great number of his fubjeds of all ranks and de- grees ; who had already adjufted the manner of his re-afcending the thi-one. To remove the apprehenfions of his fubjeds, that great fums might be demanded by France, he pofitively afTured them, that his moft Chriftian Majefty expeded no compenfation, but the glory of having fuccoured an injured Prince. He added, that he was on the eve of coming to vindicate his own right, and to eftablifh the liberties of his people; and he concluded with folemnly praying, that God might fo give him fuccefs, in the profecution of the one, as he was fmcere in his intentions fo con- firm the other'. Lesalfeveri- ^ month after this declaration was dated in France, it was ""• difpcrfcd privately in England, by the adherents of the late King. Some perfons who had undertaken that dangerous office, were " Printed Declaration. fecured ; W I L L I A ]M AND MA R Y. 39 fcciirctl; and, upon flender proofs, punifhed fevcrely for a high ^ ^ ''^- ''• mifdemeanour ^ Several violent libels againft the government, *~^ — .-~~~j had raifcd the refcntment and indignation of the courts of juflice. ' '^' The legal fcveritics, of which the people formerly complained, feemed, in fome cafes, to be renewed in all their horror. One An- derton was feized % by the meffenger of the prefs, as the printer of two feditious pamphlets, and committed, for a mifdemeanour, to Newgate. But when he offered fufficient bail, he was, by a frefli warrant, continued in prifon for high treafon. On the trial of this unfortunate pcrfon, no pofitive evidence of guilt appeared. Though the ftatute of treafon allowed no conjectural prefuraptions, no ftrained inferences, no forced conflrudions, he was at length condemned, Treby, lord-chief-juftice of the common-pleas, and formerly a vehement patriot, prefided at his trial ; and was faid to have even furpafled JefFerys himfelf, in violence, upon this occafion. He brow-beat the prifoner. He rejedled, without any anfwer, his defence. He reviled and threatened the jury, when they feemed to lean to the favourable fide. The novelty of An- derton's cafe, being the firft who had ever fuffered death for printing, raifcd the attention of the public. The lamenefs of the proof was generally condemned ; and to convidt upon prefump- tions, in cafes of treafon, was deemed a dangerous innovation \ But when a nation is divided into two inveterate parties, it is difEcult to exclude violence, even from the feats of juflice. The King, impatient to open the campaign in Flanders, left Campaign i.T Kenfington, on the thirty-firfl: of March, and arrived in the ^''^"'^^"• Maefe, on the fecond of April. The French had difturbed the winter itfclf, with military excurllons and attacks. They had taken Furnes and Dixmuyde, in the end of November, with their garrifons, confifting chiefly of the EngliHi v.-ho had reduced thofe places, in the clofc of the preceding campaign. His ov^^n * May i;. s May z. •> Andertcn's Cafe. 6 preparations. 40 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. preparations, the neccffity of fettling, previoufly, the councils of the Allies, and the difficulty of aflcmbliug tlie forces, detained the King at Loo and the Hague, till the middle of May. Having joined the troops of the Allies at Deigham, he marched from thence to Parks, near Louvaine ; and, by that judicious pofition, is faid to have broken the dcfigns of France upon Brabant. Lewis the Fourteenth, with an equipage more fuitable to a triumph than a campaign, joined his army, confilling of one hundred thoufand men, on the fecond of June. Maeftricht, Charleroy, Huy, BrulTels and Liege dreaded by turns 'the fall of the florm. But the French King having fallen Tick, foon after his arrival, returned to Verfailles, and left to the Marefchal de Luxembourg the conduit of military operations in Flanders. Luxembourg, on the fifteenth of June, placed his head quarter's at Meldert, within half a league of the camp of the Allies. The two armies continued in this fituation above a month. Each endeavoured to find an opportunity of giving battle to advan- tage; while both fuffered great hardfhips from the incefTant rains. The French -pjjE Marefchal de Luxembourg, defpairing to force William to fight at a difad vantage, left his camp, on the eighteenth of July. He fat down before Huy ; which furrendered in two days. Having amufed the enemy with a feigned defign upon Liege, he fuddenly quitted his poft at Hellicheim, crofled the Jaar in four columns, direded his march toward the Allies; being determined to attack them in their camp, or if they retreated, to fall upon their rear. His van was in fight, before they were apprifed of his march. The King made the neceflary preparations for receiv- ing the enemy with vigour. He fent' away his heavy baggage. He ordered his infantry to intrench themfelves in tfie front of his camp. The river Geette bounded his right, and ran, \vinding, along his rear. On the left, and in the front of the left, was the brook WILLIAM AND MARY. 41 brook of Landen. A thick hedge joining with one end, the Gectte covered part of the front of his right wing. The village of Neerwinden, with entrenchments before it, was fituated be- ^ ' tweeu the left end of the hedge and the center. The village of RomfdorfF flood farther advanced, oppofed to the front of the left wing ; and the entrenchment before it ftretched to the rivulet of Landen. A line of entrenchments extended themfelves behind the two villages ; and behind thefe, the army of the Allies was formed. Their whole front was covered with one hundred pieces of cannon; which, by being advantageoufly placed, on an emi- nence, commanded all the approaches to their line '. On the evening " of his arrival in fight of the Allies, the and defeat Marefchal de Luxembourg diflodged a detachment of the enemy ' '^^ ported in the village of Landen, which flood advanced before the brook of that name. Between this village and that of RomfdorfF, he placed forty battalions, in the night. He formed his center of eight lines of horfe and foot intermixed. His horfe, on the left wing, were ordered to extend themfelves to the Geette, oppofing their line to the thick hedge which covered the front of the enemy's right. The French were formed before five in the morning, and the cannonading began on both fides. Six bri-, gades, under the Duke of Berwick and two other lieutenant-gene;r»» rals, attacked the village of Neerwinden. This important pofl was carried. But it was foon recovered by the vigilance of Wil- ; Uam ; who had the good fortune, at the fame inQant^ to fee his enemies repulfed on every fide. The center of the French army. , was not properly fuflained by either wing. But the Marefchal de,, Luxembourg was not to be intimidated. He made a fecond effort on Neerwinden. He fucceeded. He was again repulfed. He refolved to attack fome other quarter of the enemy. They were inacceffible every where. The village of Neerwinden is a third ' Mem. de Feuquierei. •< July zS, Vol. II. G time 4S HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. time attacked. William, with great bravery, led twice the Eng- li(h infantry to the entrenchment, which the enemy endeavoured to force. Nothing, however, could refift the impetuofity of the French. Their center, reinforced by their right, opened a way for their cavalry into the very lines of the Allies. They flanked the Englifh. They charged and put to flight the troops of Hano- ver. They overturned and routed the Spaniards '. MLanden. WiLLiAM perceiving this diforder, advanced fuddenly with a part of his left wing. But the enemy gave him no time to form. They flanked the Dutch horfe, as they came. They broke them, in a furious onfet, before the Engliih could draw into a line. The King, however, was not to be driven from the field. He ordered his troops to charge as they found themfelves. His efi^orts were attended with fome fuccefs, when he perceived his right wing driven headlong into the Geette. Nothing but confufion could now be feen throughout the camp. Slaughter and flight prevailed every where, on the field. The bridge being too much crowded by the runaways, many were drowned in the river. William retreated, in fome order, with the rerriains of the left wing. He, however, left a complete vidory to the enemy. Sixty-fix pieces of cannon, eight mortars, eighty ftandards, colours, and other trophies fell into the hands of the French. Twelve thoufand of the Allies lay dead in this bloody field. Two thoufand were made prifoners. The Marefchal de Luxembourg gained little but glory from the battle of Landen. He loft eight thoufand of his befl: troops, in the adlion; and his army was fo much weakened, by the number wounded, that he could take no advantage of the confternation of the enemy "'. Reflexions WiLLiAM difplaycd, upon thIs occafion, great courage and duft.'^ """ prefence of mind. He expofed his perfon to danger. He iflued ' William's account. Gazettes. •" Hift. de France, torn. iii. his WILLIAM AND MARY. 43 his orders with coolnefs. He was prefent every where. He has, notwithftanding, been cenfurcd, for hazarding, in his circum- ftances, a general engagement. He had detached a confidcrable number of his troops, under the Duke of Wertemberg. He had fent a reinforcement to the garrifon of Liege ". In point of num- bers, he was much inferior to Luxembourg. He had fufhcient time to retreat beyond the Geette, and cover himfelf from infult behind that river ". His poft, however, was fo ftrong, that his officers encouraged him to fight ; and he himfelf was extremely anxious to recover the laurels which he had loft in the preceding campaign. Six weeks of inadivity fucceeded the battle. Both fides, weakened by their lofles, feemed unwilling to grapple again in the field. The Marefchal de Luxembourg, being at length reinforced, by detachments from the coafts of Picardy and Nor- mandy, as well as from the army on the upper Rhine, moved toward Charleroy. He fat down before that place, on the eleventh of September. William made no efforts to raife the fiege. The garrifon behaved themfelves with fuch fpirit as de- ferved relief. The King quitted the army, on the fifth of October j and Charleroy furrendered on the eleventh of that month ^ On the fide of Germany, the French tarnifhed their fuccefs Campaign ia the Uppor ■with adts of barbarity and cruelty. The Marefchal de Lorges, Rhine, having paflTed the Rhine at Philipfburgh without oppofition % de- tached de Chamilli, with twenty thoufand men, to invert Hey- delberg. In the midft of diffenfions, which prevailed among the garrifon, that place was ftormed. The foldiers and burghers were promifcuoufly put to the fword. When flaughter ended, rapine began. The houfes were burnt, the churches pillaged, the inha- bitants flripped naked, the women expofed to violence and luft. De Lorges, in the mean time, was prevented from palfing the " Mem. de Feuquieres. " Ibid. » Hill, de France, vol. iii. » May i8. G 2 Neckcr, 44 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. Necker, by the Prince of Baden, who commanded the confede- V » rate army. The King of France having undertaken to the Ot- '^^^* tomans, to make a powerful diverfion on the fide of Germany, had detached' twenty thoufand men from the army in Flanders, to the Upper Rhine. When this reinforcement joined de Lorgesj- the Dauphin aflumed the command of the army. That Prince, having difperfed, in vain, a manifefto containing humiliating terms of peace, advanced to the Necker, and crofled that river*, with twenty thoufand men. The Germans, under the Prince of Baden, unable to contend with fuch fuperior numbers, avoided the rifque of a battle, in a ftrong poll. The Dauphin returned to Verfailles. The French and Imperialifts, having remained, for fome time, in the field, in a ftate of inactivity, retired, at length, to their refpedive winter quarters. laPiedmonh The Operations of the armies, on the fide of Piedmont, having I'anguifhed throughout the fummer, ended in a decifive adtion, in the beginning of Odlober'. The duke of Savoy, at the head of the confederates, fat down before Pignerol. The Marefchal de Catinat, having been reinforced with ten thoufand men, from the ai'my on the Upper Rhine, defcended from the mountains ; and, from his motions, feemed to threaten Turin. The Duke, havfng bombarded Pignerol, raifed the fiege, on the fecond of Odober. He advanced to the fmall river Cifola, wherejit pafTes by Marfaglia. He fent away his heavy baggage, refolving to engage de Catinat. The next day, the two armies came in fight and formed them- felves in order of battle. ^ Neither fide fhewing any inclination to come to battle," the confederates lay, all night, on the field, in their arms. When day light appeared, the French were already formed. The allies were inftantly in motion. The Imperial and Pledmontefe cavalry, commanded by the Duke in perfon, covered the right wing. The infantry, confifting of the infantry of Savoy 'June 10. ■ July 29^ ' « October 4, I and ,V:i . ■- The affairs of the Eaft-India company, which had already of the two houfes employed fo much of the attention of parliament, produced unde- cifive debates in the^prefent fefiion. The train of corruption, which foon after broke forth in fuch idifgraeeful difcoveries, had been already laid. The complicated nature of the bufmefs, and the violent oppofition of the merchants, prevented the friends of the company from making an immediate return for the favours which they had defired to receive. A bill for a general natu- ralization of all foreign Proteftants', created violent debates in the houfe of commons. Thofe who oppofed it, called the prejudices of the populace to the aid of their caufe. They averred, that the defign of the a^°f''*n^ Fourteenth to tranfport an army into Britain. They obferved, in their letters to the late King, that a defcent in England would infallibly break the league ; and enable France to finifh with ad- vantage, as well as reputation, the war. They affured him, that while the confederates remained united, the kingdom would be wretched and his own affairs obftrudted, if not ruined. Penn, the I 2 famous 6o HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, famous Quaker, informed James, in exprefs terms, " that while *— — .y ' there was a fool in England, the Prince of Orange would have a January, penfioncd parliament tp give him fuppUes." Among others, the Earl of Marlborough continued to efpoufe, with eagernefs, his former mafter's caufe. He intrcated him to take advantage of the unprepared Hate of the Englifli fleet. He gave him the mod folemn afluranccs of his own ferviccs, and the hearty aid of all his party and numeroljs friends*. in correfpon- The adherents of the late King, in all their reprefentations in theiateKing. the preceding year, agreed that thirty thoufand men would be ne- cefiary to enfure a revolution in England. When they perceived a coidnefs in the court of France, they leflened their demands. In the month of February they affured James, that they found his party much ftronger than they had ever imagined before. They faid twenty thoufand men would now be fufficient to give him, without a battle, the throne. They affirmed, that the nation ex- pedled, with impatience, his arrival. They told him, that England could not, till the month of April, fend to fea above twenty-five third and fourth rate men of war, and thefe not completely manned. That no more tlian feven thoufand five hundred troops were then in the kingdom ; and that even thefe would be dimi- niflicd to four thoufand, when the regiments dellined for FlanderSt fhould embark for that country ^ Lewis liftened, with fome at- tention, to the unfortunate King. But he meant nothing lefs, than to undertake, with any vigour, his caufe. Though victorious in the field, he was opprefled with calamities at home. Having exerted his whole force in the late campaigns, he had already impoverifhcd his fubjedts with grievous taxes. Befides, a terrible famine, had added, in the preceding fummer, to the miferies which arofe from the war \ ' Stuart-papers, 1695, 1694, •> Ibid. Feb. 1694. « Hrft, de France, torn. iii. WILLIAM ANDMARY. 6i But James was not difcouraged, either with the languor of ^ ^'^ -^ P- Lewis or the exhaufted ftate of France. Though he placed little * •^——t * r 1604- confidence'' in the profefTions of the noble converts to his caufe, March, he fent Captain Lloyd, in the month of March, to England. To ivrlribo-^" facilitate his accefs to Admiral Ruflel, and to the Earls of Marlbo- r'^"^h, rough and Shrewfbury, he ordered him to apply to Colonel Sack- ville, their common friend. Marlborough was the firft of the mal- contents who prefented himfelf to Lloyd. He informed him, that he had been folicited by William to come again into office-. But that he did hot chufe to accept, without the confent of his old mafter. Lloyd affured him, that James had adually heard of the offer; and that he had ordered him to fignify his confent. " The thing," replied Marlborough, " is now paft. Should the offer, ■which may well happen, again be made, I will accept. But-it is only to ferve the King; for whofe re-eflablifliment I am refolved to rifque my life to expiate my crimes °." He had made the fame profeiFions to Jameshimfelf ina letter, in the preceding December. Admiral Ruffel received Lloyd with flill greater marks of atten- tion and regard. He affured him, with the flrongeft affeverations and even with oaths, that he would undertake the reftoration of the late King, He promifed to endeavour to gain the officers of the fleet. He reiterated his moft folemn proteftations of fidelity. He told him, that the Earls of Shrewfbury and Marlborough fhould be the witneffes, the judges and fureties of his conducSt, He, however, refufed to avoid the French fleet ; " though," faid he, " I once determined to execute that bufinefs, as it depended then on myfelf alone '.' , f " Lloyd, notyetfatisfied with the anfwer of RulTel, opened vari- RufTe!,; ous expedients to his view. He told him that there certainly was a defign in agitation for making a defcent on the coafl of France. * Stuart-papers, March, 1694. James II. 1694, « Ibidj ' Ibid. 1694. He, 62 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. He, therefore, requefted RufTel to fend timely information to James, that tranfports might be prepared, where no attack could be feared. He propofed, that toward the end of autumn, when the large (hips fhould be difarmed and convoys fent to America, he might retain in the channel fuch commanders as he fliould gain in the fummer. That, fafe in their fidelity, he might himfelf tranfport fuch troops, as might be neceUary for accompanying the late King to England. He ftdl protefled, but fcemcd unwilling to determine on any plan. Lloyd gave an account to the Earl of Marl- borough and to Sackville of his conference with Ruffel. They obferved, that he faid a great deal, could he be trufted. But that if he was not fmcere, all he could fay would anfwer no purpofe ^ Shrewfbury The Earl of Shrewfljury had fucceeded Nottingham as fecre- tary offtate, on the fourth of March, a few days before Lloyd arrived from France. His being in office prevented him from ad- mitting into his prefence the avowed agent of the late King. He, however, fent his mother, the old Countefs of Shrewfbury, to Lloyd, with affurances of his fidelity. He inftruded her to inform him, that upon being folicited to take the feals, he declined that honour, under thepretenceof want of health. That William infinu- ated he was no ftranger to fome words which the earl had dropt in converfation, in favour of the late King. That the earl perceived there might be fome danger inrefufing the offer. That he, there- fore, proraifed to accept. But that he requefted a few days, to fettle his affairs in the country. That he accordingly retired, with fome friends, well mounted. That, as reports of an immediate defcent were then current, he had refolved to join James on his landing. That he was difappointed in his hopes, to his very great regret. That he was obliged to take the feals, on his return. But 'that he only held them, to ferve the late King with more effed \ t Sinart-papers, paffim. *■ Ibid. March 1691. I GODOLPHIN WILLIAMANDMAIIY. 63 GoDOLPHiN was, at this jundture, firft lord-commlirioner of ^ '^^ ''• the treafury. Though he was trufted by William, he afi"c£ted to >• ' be in the intereft of the late King. He explained to Lloyd his c-pdoiphin, fentiments of James, in the moft afl'ec^ionate manner in the world. He expreffed his fears, that a peace was likely to be concluded before the end of the next fummer. He told him, that he was forry to believe, from the words of the Prince of Orange, for (o he called- the reigning King, that the terms would be highly pre- judicial to the late King. He informed him, that William would endeavour to oblige the moft Chriftian King to fend James out of the dominions of France. That he thought it his duty to acquaint his old mafter of the defigns of his enemy and rival. He told it as his opinion, that King James fhould forthwith endeavour to tranf- port himfelf into England, with a confiderable force. That there ap- peared to him no difficulty in making a defcent in this kingdom, without either the aid or concurrence of Ruflel. That, however, he ought ftill to be treated with attention. That he had faid all that could be expedted from a perfon in his fituation. That the Earl of Shrewfbury, who was fmcerely in the intereft of the late King, pofTeffed an abfolute influence over Ruflel. He afl'ured Lloydr that Ruflel would infallibly appear before Breft. That this cir- cumftance would give a juft pretence to Lewis to fend an army to the coaft. He advifed, therefore, that the neceflary tranfports might be prepared in the fummer, to carry to Britain the in- vaders in autumn. He told him, that the large veflels would return to port in the middle of September. That the failors Tv'ould be difperfed, the convoys fent to the diff'erent places of com- merce, the coaft left bare of men of war. That he believed a revolution might be efFeded without a blow; as nine in ten of the people, either heartily detefted William, or were firmly attached' to the late King '. * Stuatt-papers, March 1694. Though 64 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Though the Earl of Sunderland poflefled no office under William, he held, for an Englilhman, a high place in his favour. Sunderland, Swayed by the natural levity of his own mind, or infeded with the changed opinions of others, he continued his correfpondence with the late King. He, however, was more guarded in his in- tercourfe with that Prince, than thofe great men who trufted their lives and fortunes in the hands of intermediate agents. His fon-in-law the Earl of Arran, who firft promoted his in- trigues with the court of St. Germains, was the only perfon in the fecret in Britain ". In France, James concealed, with great caution, his intercourfe with a man who had fo much injured his caufe before. Sunderland preffed the late King to an immediate invafion upon various grounds. He intreated that Prince to take advantage of the changed opinions of the people; their contempt for William, their difcontent at the late heavy taxes, their lofles at fea, their difappointments in the war by land. Thefe circum- ftances, he informed him, would enfure a favourable reception to hirafelf in the kingdom, while the defign of fending the greateft part of the fleet to the Streights, and almoft the whole of the army to Flanders, would render his pafTage eafy and his fucceft- certain. He advifed the late King not to be intimidated with the great fupplies granted to the reigning Prince, as the money given by the parliament, could not be raifed in time to place the king- dom in a ftate of defence '. Whigs and While Sunderland tendered thus his advice to James, he Tories pro- i i i r r • r mifcuouny and the Earl of Portland formed the fecret cabmet of William ■". That Prince felt fome part of the misfortunes, which he had- contributed to throw on his predeceflbr, when he fat on the throne. He was worft ferved by thofe whom he courted the moll. Imprefl'ed with the opinion, that intereft forms the prin- '' Stuart-papers, IVlarch 1694. ' ' Stuart-papers. ™ Dutch encroachments, p. 20, •6 ciples in office. WILLIAM AND MARY. 65 ciples of men, he refolved to bribe into fidelity tbofe whom he ^ ^ ■ ^' ^• could not othervvife triift. In the arrangements of the prcfcnt v^ — -- ,~— / year, he feems however to have regarded moft the fuppofcd Whigs. The admiralty, in particular, was placed in the hands of that party. Ruffel was made firft commifiioner ; Rook and Houblon fupplanted the obnoxious admirals Delaval and Killi- grew, at the board. Though William feems to have entertained fome well-grounded fufpicions of Shrewfbury, he was accounted a Whig by the nation ; and though the Marquis of Caermarthen was confidered a Tory, by principle, his known prudence was deemed a fccurity for his faith to the prevailing powers. Bat fome other perfons of rank, who were knov^^n to be adverfe to the late revolution, were either continued in employment or raifed to office. Among the latter, the Earl of Abingdon, then adually in correfpondence with James, fuccceded to a place of profit, va- cant by the death of the Lord Lovelace". On the tv^'enty- fifth of April, a few days after he prorogued his Titles con- parliament, William went to Gravefcnd to embark at that place for Holland. The wind proving contrary, he returned to Kenfingtoa the next day. This accident furniflied the King with a further opportunity of gratifying fome of his principal fubjedls with dig- nities and honours. But though he had of late Ibown fome attention to the Whigs, his firft care feems fiill to have been commanded by the Tories. The Marquis of Caermarthen vcas created, on the thirtieth of April, Duke of Leeds. The title of Duke of Shrewfbury was conferred upon the Earl of the fame name. The Earl of Clare, then deeply engaged with James °, was raifed to the dignity of Duke of Newcaftle. The Earl of Mulgrave, a fecret abettor of the defigns of the late King \ v.-as made Marquis of Normanby, with an annual penfion of three thoufand pounds. But no titles of honour, nor even views of " Gazette. ° Stuart-papers, 1693, 1694. Pjbid. Vol. IL K profit, 66 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. profit, could reconcile thefe men either to the manner or title of the King. Shrevvfbury and Leeds, whofe advice Mary was im- plicitly to follow, in her hufband's abfence, were to have embar- rafled and betrayed her councils, fhould her father appear with a force in England . To flop their clamours, rather than to gra- tify the party who had raifed him to the throne, the King, before his departure for Holland, had ordered patents for dukedoms to be prepared, for the Earls of Bedford and Devonfhire. The firfl: derived his title to a name in party, from the fate of his unfor- tunate fon. Difappointments in his views for the public, as well as perfonal negledt, had rendered the latter indifferent concerning the fate of William, and the permanency of his authority '. Preparations Qn the fourth of May, the King embarked at Gravefend. But at fea. . . the wind being contrary, he went by land to Margate; and was efcortcd from that place to Holland by a fquadron of Dutch men of war. The projected operations of the fummer at fea, had em- ployed a great part of his attention during the winter. His councils, however, were betrayed. The deftlnations of the dif- ferent fquadrons were generally known '. Nothing but the time of their departure, which depended upon accidents, remained a fecret. Sir Francis Wheeler, with a ftrong fquadron of Englifh and Dutch men of war, had been fent to convoy the trade to the Mediterranean, in the end of the preceding year. On the feven- teenth of February, a terrible tempeft overtook his fleet, in the bay of Gibraltar. The admiral himfelf, fome fhips of war, and feveral merchantmen were loft. The reft were difabled. Some took fhelter in Gibraltar, many in the harbour of Cadiz. The combined fleets were not afl'embled on the coaft of England, till the end of April. Rufiel hoifted his flag, at Portfmouth, on the twenty-feventh of that month ; and his avowed defign was to fail into the Mediterranean, to defend the ports of Spain from the s Stuart-papers, 1693, 1694. ' ^^'^^' ^^9^t 1691. ' Ibid. 1694. French j W I L L I A M A N D M A R Y. 67 French; who were refolved to make the principal effort of the ^ ^ ^ ^*- campaign on that fide ". *. — -f 1694. But the chief enterprife of the feafon, was to be diredcd An exped!- againfl Breft. The Lord Godolphin had furniflied the late King, Breft. in the month of March, with this important intelligence". But from the uncertainty which attended the failing of the fleet, he could not fix the time. General Talmafh, contrary to the exprefs opinion of Ruflel, promoted firft, and at length carried this defign. When the admiral hoifted his flag, at St. Helens, the land-forces deftined for the expedition, were on their march, under Talmaflv, to Portfmouth. The French had made no fecret of their refolution to aflift, with their whole fleet, the defigns of the Marefchal de Noailles upon Barcelona. The court of Spain had concerted with William, to fend the main body of the com- bined fleet to protedl the place. Men in general believed that the force under Talmafl:i, was deftined for the fame fervice. The French were either ignorant of the preparations of the Englifh, or they knew not where the fl:orm was to fall. The alarm con- cerning Brefl:, which had been raifed by the intelligence fcnt by Godolphin to James, had already fubfided. Befides, the danger of France, upon that fide, had been lefiened by the adtual failing of her fleet from the port of Brefl:, on the fifteenth of April ". The zeal of the Earl of Marlborough for the fervice of the late Betrayed by King, or his averfion to the reigning Prince, induced that noble- Marlb"- ° man to becoro.c, upon this occafion, an informer againft his '°"g''' ^^^Y country. He tranlmitted, through the hands of colonel Sack- ville, intelligence of the danger to which France was expofed. His letter was dated, on the fourth of May. He informed James, that twelve regiments encamped at Portfmouth, with two regiments of marines, all commanded by Talmafli, were defigned ' Burnet, vol. iii. "Stuart-papers, 1694. ™ April 15th, N. S. K 2 for 63 HISTORY OF GREx\T BRITAIN. )6y.(. ^ ^11^ ^' ^'^'' ^^^^^roying Brcft, and the fl)ips of war in that harhour. I-Ie owned, thatfuccefs in theenterprife would prove of great advantage to England. Rut that no confideration could now hinder, or ever fhould prevent him from informing liis Majefly of all that he believed to be for his fervice. He defircd the late King to make the befl: ule of the intelligence. He told him, that he might depend on its being exadly true. But he conjured him, for his own intcrcft, to keep the fccret to himfelf and the Queen. He informed him that Ruffel was to fail, the next day, with forty fhips ; and that the reft of the fleet, with the land-forces, were to follow the admiral, in ten days. He had endeavoured, he faid, to learn the whole from Ruffel. But he always denied the fa(fl> though he was no ftranger to the defign, for fix weeks before. *' This," continues the Earl, " gives me a bad fign of this man's intentions." Sackville, who tranfmitted the letter, formed, for the fame reafon, a like unfavourable opinion of Ruffel. He mentioned, " that the man had not adcd fmcerely ; and that he feared he would never adl otherwife \" The enter- The event eftabllflied the truth of the intelligence tranfmitted cariics. by Marlborough. Ruffel failed, the next day, with a part of the combined fleets. Shovel remained at St. Helens, with the reft, to take Talmalh and his troops on board. On the twenty- third of May, the admiral, having difcovered that the French fquadron had left Breft, returned. On the twenty-ninth, he again put to fea with the forces ; and, on the fifth of June, the divlfion of the fleet deftined to attack Breft, bore down for Ca- maret Bay, under the command of the Lord Berkley. Nine hundred men were landed, in a diforderly manner, on the eighth of June, under the fire of fome men of war. The bay was lined with entrenchments, which were full of the French marines. The Englifti having, for fome time, fuftained the fire of the ' Stuart-papers, May 1694. James 11. 1694. enemy. W I L 1. 1 A M A N D M A R Y. 69 enemy, iufi'ered much and were forced to fly. To add to the ^ ^ '^ P- misfortune, it was now ebhuig tide, and leveral boats were left * j dry on the fand, Confufion and flaughter prevailed. Six bun- * ^'^^ dred were ilain, many were drowned. Talmafli himfelf received a wound, of which he afterwards died at Plymouth. 1 he fiiipy, which covered the landing, were fliattered by the batteries which guarded the fhore. One Dutch frigate was funk, after lofing almofl: her whole crew. The French had profited fo much by the intelligence of Marlborough, that the Englifh chofc to return, without any further attempt, to their own coaft *'. This difgrace at fea was not repaired by any fplcndid advan- Campajj^n in tage obtained by land. The French, ftanding on the defenfivc, in Flanders, amufed William, with dextrous movements, through- out the fummer. .With fcarce half the force of the allies, the Dauphin, aflifted by the Marefchal de Luxembourg, covered from infult the French lines. The King was forced to remain in a ftate of inadlivity, with the fineft army he had ever brought into the field. The rapid movement of the French from Vignamont, was the moft fignal event of the whole campaign. Having marched forty leagues, in four days, they formed an impenetrable line, from the Lys to the ocean ; and prevented William from attack- ing, by land, the maritime places, which his fleet had infulted by^ fea. He, however, found means to befiege and take the town and caftle of Huy. He ended the campaign with this exploit ; and left the army, on the thirtieth of September. To flop the pro- grefs of the King, on the fide of Flanders, was deemed equal to a vid-ory by the court of Verfailles. The confederates had never a nearer profpe£l of fuccefs. But their hopes were defeated, by the abilities of the Marefchal de Luxembourg "". While the war languiflied in Flanders, the French puflicd in Spain, their operations, with vigour, on the fide of Spain, In Catalonia,. )' Burnet. Marq. of Caermarthen's JournaJ. ^ Hill, de France, vol. iii.KeDnet. Ralph, the 70 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1694. the Marefchal de Noallles, having forced the paffage of the river Ter, defeated the Spanifli army entrenched on the further fhore. •He took Palamos, by aflault, on the feventh of June. Ghonne and Oflahic fell fucceffively into his hands. His defigns upon Barcelona were defeated, by the arrival of Ruffel, with the com- bined fleet, in the neighbouring feas. Tourville, with his fqua- dron, was blocked up in the port of Toulon. The abfence of their fliips flopt the progrefs of the French. But a panic had feized the King, and fhaken the councils of Spain. The Queen- mother, a daughter of Auftria, and devoted to the views of her family, prevented Charles the Second from foliciting peace, on advantageous terms. Intrigue, jealoufy, and even murder pre- vailed at court. The Queen-mother gained the young Queen, by fupporting her fuppofed lover, the Baron de Perlis. The Duke d'Offona, who alone remained faithful to the intereft of his mailer, was poifoned ; and the public meafurcs were diftradled, between the feeble efforts of a weak monarch and a faction devoted to the court of Vienna \ Other mili- tary tranlac- tions. In Piedmont, the campaign was inadlve. Nothing of moment happened upon the Upper-Rhine. The Duke of Savoy was em- ployed in fecret negociations with France. The Emperor made his chief effort, on the fide of Hungary. The war, in that coun- try, produced no ftriking event. But the Poles, in alliance with the Imperialifis, defeated the Tartars on the Neifter in the month of October ^ The operations of the combined fleets in the ocean, after the frultlefs attempt upon Breft, were either languid or ill- diredted. The lord Berkley bombarded Diep % with fome effed. He was not equally fuccefsful at Havre. He proceeded from thence to La Hogue and Cherbourg. But his progrefs was more a matter of parade than fervice., William, anxious to make an impreflion on France, on the fide of Flanders, had recommend- " Oa. 26, 'July '2- » Hill, d' Efpaghe, torn. 11. ed WILLI A M AN D M A R Y. 71 ed an attempt upon Dunkirk and Calais, in the com fe of the fum- mer. A fquadron, under the command of Sir Cloudfley Shovel, . . c 1694, and fubjedl to the diredions of one Meefters, a Dutchman, came before the firfl: of thofe places, on the twelfth of September. This man had invented a machine, which from the fury of its difcharge, was called the Infernal. Two of thefe machines were fent in againft the fort, which guarded the Rifbank. The firft blew up without effed ; the latter fpent its efFedl on itfelf, and was deftroyed. The attempt on Calais'" was equally unfucccfs- ful; and thus the naval campaign, in the ocean, efpccially if the expreffion may be ufed, produced neither glory nor advantage to the nation ^ The King, having left the army on the laft day of September, King arrives^ repaired to his favourite refidence at Loo. On the twenty-third of nieets.™^" October, he departed from that place. Having adjufted, at the Hague, the ftate of the war, for the enfiiing year, he fet fail from the Maefe, on the eighth of November, and landed at Margate the next day. The Queen met him at Rochefter; and they arrived at Kenfington on the tenth in the evening, amidfl: the acclama- tions of the populace. The parliament, after repeated proroga- tions, met on the twelfth at Weftmlnfter. The King informed them in his fpeech, that he was glad to meet them in fuch a good poflure of the public affairs. He told them, that the enemy had not been in a condition to meet the fleet, in thefe feas. That the great force fent into the Mediterranean, had broken all their de- figns in Spain; and that an effedual flop had been put to the progrefs of the French arms, on the fide of Flanders. He doubted not, he faid, neither their affedion for his perfon, nor their zeal for the public fervice. He, therefore, demanded fuch fupplies as might enable him to profecute the war with that vigour, which was the only means for procuring peace. He put them in mindj. ^ July 19. « Burchit. I thai: 72 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, that the ad of tonnage and poundage was to expire at Chriftmas ; \ .^ — I and that the great anticipations had rendered tliat revenue necef- ' ^*' I'ary for the fupport of the crown ^ A funpiy ' The commons, declining to proceed to bufinefs, adjourned themfelves for feven days. The plan of government was either ■not fettled, or the heads of the oppofing party were to be founded and gained. A bill for frequent parliaments, which has i\ace obtained the name of the triennial bill, feems to have been the priceof the demanded fupplies. The abfolute neceility of a fre- quency of parliaments had been afferted, in the declaration of rights. But the demands of the fubjedl, on this important point, had been cxpreficd in fuch indefinite terms, that they had been hitherto eluded with eafe, by the crown. The meafure was pro- fecuted with fuch an appearance of firmnefs, that the court party chofe to comply. The bill was accordingly prepared', and it was followed with a vote of fupply\ Two millions and near four hundred thoufand pounds were granted for the fervice of the navy'; and the like fum to fupport the army, throughout the enfuing year. The houfe voted, that the fubfidies of tonnage and poundage, which expired on the twenty-fourth of December, iliould begin from the twenty- fixth, and continue for five years. The difcontinuing of thefe duties, for one day, was intended to prevent the pretence of prefcription, on the fide of the crown, for revenues, which ought to be confidcred as the free gift of the fubjed. Triennial Tfte King came to the houfe of lords, on the twenty- fecond '''''■ of December, and gave the royal aflent to the triennial bill. Two reafons" feem to have combined, to induce William to give his concurrence to an adt, which he had defeated the preceding year. * 'ourEa^s, Xov. iz. s Ibid. Nov. zi. i" Nov. 21. ' Dec. 3. '' £urj:et, vo!. iii. The WILLIAM AND iMARY. 73 The commons, he found, were refolved to receive this concefTion c H a i'. II. from the crown, as the price of a fiipply for the war. Befides, the t— . / Queen had been taken ill of thcfmall-pox, the day before, with in- ' '''^' curable fymptoms of that dangerous diieafe. He was unwilling, therefore, by an exertion of the prerogative, to (hake his influence with the nation ; which would necefTarily be weakened by the event of her death. His prudence only could, in this inftance, overcome his attachment to what he deemed to be the inherent right of the crown. The commons, however, in afferting the liberties of the fubjed:, appeared not to have negleded themfelves. In the fecond claufe of the bill, they implied the continuance of the parliament then fubfifting, for three years. This feltifh provifion was not pafled, without cenfure, in the houfe of peers. Some lords, at the laft reading, protefted againft the bill ; as tending to the continuance of the prefent parliament, longer than was agree- able to the conftitution of England '. The diftemper of the Queen, from bad fymptoms, advanced ^g^j,^ ^^^ rapidly to worfe, till it terminated in her death, on the twenty- charaaerof eighth of December. Her figure, her manner, her affability, the decency of her carriage and equality of her temper, rendered her fnicerelyand generally beloved, by a people ever fond of the vir- tues of their princes. In her perfon, fhe was tall and graceful full proportioned and eafy, in all her motions. Though her com- plexion was not fair, the lineaments of her face were regular and well-combined. A lively and piercing eye threw fuch a pleafing light on her countenance, that fhe even might be called a woman of beauty. The genuine features of her mind are difficult to be traced, as her paffions were neither uncommon in their kind nor ftrong in their degree. A flrid attention to her hufband, and even an abfolute fubferviency to his will, feem to have been more the rule of her life, than thofe more majeflic virtues, which alone 'Journals of theLords, Dec. i8. Vol. II. L could 74 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. c H A P. (.Quld thoroughly juftify her political condud. When (he heltl the reins of government, flic difplayed more prudence than ability, and lefs of art than of folidity of judgment. Unambitious In her difpofition, and fubdued in her youth to obedience, fhe was ever uneafy under the weight of power ; and fhe always re- flgncd her authority, not only with indifferencci but even with pleafure. Her private virtues, in fhort, were chiefly conjugal. She was not a kind fiflcr. None will fay, that fhe was an affec- tionate child. Her fituation, it muft be confeffed, v/as cruel and diificult. It was only through a breach of the ties of nature, fhe could become at all an objed of public applaufe. Grief of Though William was neither a fond hufband, nor fubied to William. _ _ -" feelings of a delicate kind, he exhibited every fymptom of an imfelgned grief, upon the death of the Queen. Her amiable manner and an habitual attention to all hi^ commands, had, it feems, made an imprefllon on his mind, which he had not cared to own. Befidesi gratitude had, perhaps, fupplied the place of a warm affe£lion, in his breafl. The Queen certainly deferved every return of friendfliip, at his hands. She had a£ted, in all re- ipe£ls toward him, as if virtue confif^ed folely in the implicit obedience of a wife to her hufband. Motives of policy might alfo have joined their force to more tender fentiments, in his mind. The whole popularity of his meafures proceeded from the opeii and agreeable deportment of Mary. A'lany confidered her as having the only natural right to the crown. His own manner, when at its befl, procured more refped: than affedlion ; and he> therefore, had fufficient reafon to lament the lofs of a confort, whofe influence had fo much contributed to reconcile the people to his government. But whatever motive weighed iBofl with the mind of William, his prudence might have been trufted, as to the fincerity of his grief. The 3 WILLIAM AND MARY; 75 The city of London, the two houfes of parliament, the natioa ^ ^\^^ ^'* in general exprefled, in warm addreffes to the throne, their fenfc *: — 7"^"^^' of the merit of Mary and their own forrow. The Princcfs of Conduft of Denmark was induced, hy the Earl of Sunderland, to fend a letter of Denmark. of condolence, on the death of her filler, to the King. This Princefs, even before her difgrace, in- the year 1692, had begun a fecret correfpondence with her father. But having, now, obtained a nearer profpecft of the crown, flie was eafily induced to adopt an appearance of reconciliation with William. His prudence didated, that he ought to meet her half-way. He was apprehen- five, that ihe might carry her refentment for former injuries to a pitch that might prove uneafy to his government, if not dangerous to his power. She was the next heir, by aO. of parliament. She was nearer than William himfelf, by the title of blood. He was fenfiblej that many had been reftrained, by their deference to Mary, as the daughter of the late King; and he was certain, that, at leaft, the difcontented would pay their court, with more dili- gence to the Princefs, fhould he permit her to remain in a ftate of profcription from his favour. He, therefore, admitted her into his prefence, prefented her with moft of her filler's jewels, and conferred upon her fome other favours ; more from political views than any affedion for her perfon ". Mary was fcarce confidered as a partner in the regal autho- Refleflionsof rity, during her life. Her death, therefore, produced no material cierth'of"' * change. Some doubts arofe, whether the parliament was not ^^^ry. diffolved by her demife. But the queflion was fcarce propofed, in the houfe of lords, when it was dropt, as unfit to be debated". The late King declined to make any efforts for his refloration, up- on the prefent occafion. He conceived hopes, that a government, which, he thought, depended upon the popularity of his daughter, "Burnet. Dutchefs of Marlborough. ^ Burnet, vol. iii. L 2 would 76 HIStdR'Y OF GREAT BRITAIN. would {hake and unhinge itfelf by her deceafe. He was much afFeded by the intelligence. But his forrow was more that of an enthufiaft than a father. He was rather grieved at her manner of dying, than at her death. " The King," faid that unfortunate Prince, " received this additional afflidion to thofe which he had already undergone. He faw a child, whom he tenderly loved, perfevering to her death, in a fignal ftate of difohedience and dif- loyalty. He perceived, that flie was extolled for a crime as for the highefl: merit. He heard her contraditSlions called virtues ; and her breach of duty to a parent a becoming facrifice to her religion and her country \" Such were the reflections of James, upon the death of a daughter, whofe behaviour to a parent could fcarce be juftified, by his own condud. Proceedings rj.^^ ^^^^^ ^f ^^^ Qiieen, though alarming to the nation,-, inter- nient rupted not the courfe of bufinefs in parliament. A remark- able tranfadtion, in the preceding fummer and autumn, was laid before the commons, early in the prefent feflion. One Lunt, a perfon of a very profligate charadler, who had once been a day- labourer at Highgate, gave information, on the fifteenth of June,, concerning a plot for levying war againft the government. He affirmed, that he had delivered commiflions from the late King to feveral gentlemen in Lancafhire and Chefliire. That, at their inftance and expence, he had bought arms and enlifted men. That he had been twice fent to France, to receive the commands of James concerning the intended infurre<£lion; and that one WiUbn, who had affifted him in delivering the commiffions, was privy to the circumftances of the plot. The fuppofed confpira- tors were feized. They were brought to London, and then re- manded to Manchefter, to take their trials. Lunt and Wilfon fwore to the truth of the information. But Lunt, being ordered in court, to point at the feveral prifoners, miftook his men. " lames II. i6gi. This I WILLIAM AND MARY. 77 This created a violent fiifpicion of perjury; and, at tlie inftant, one Tafi'e, who had been acquainted with Lunt, declared pub- lickly, that the whole plot was nothing but a villanous con^- trivaace, fabricated between himfelf and that profligate wit- nefs. The King's council ftopt all proceedings. The prifoncrs were acquitted; and the popular clamour became fo loud in fa- vour of the accufed, that the miniflry found it necefTary to com- mit their witnelTcs to- priibn, and to order them to be profe- cuted \ Though the moft of the perfons accufed were attached to the: on theLan- late King, and fome of them adually plotting for his fervice, the information of Lunt and his aflbciates feems to have had no foun- dation in fa£t. The whole appears to have been framed by the intrigues and precipitate zeal of one Johnfton, a Scotfrnan, brother to the fecretary of ftate of that name. This bufy and felf-inte- refted man, had, in. the hopes of a gratification from William, long aiSled the part of an informer againfl the Jacobites, in Eng-^ land as well as in Scotland. He had employed^ every mean art to circumvent the unwary, and to find evidence againft the accufed''. The vidory obtained by the gentlemen of Lancafliire over the •witneffes of government, in a court of juftice, induced them to lay. their grievances before the parliament. The refult of the deli- berations of the commons anfwered not their hopes on the fub- jecft. They voted, that there had been fufficient grounds for the profecutlon and trial of the confpirators at Manchefter ; and that a dangerous plot had been carried onagainfi: the King and govern- ment. Notwithftanding thefe refolutions, the witnefles were tried and found guilty of perjury, at the Lancafter affizes. They were - afterwards' indided, for a confpiracy againft the lives and eftates of the accufed gentlemen. But the profecution was dropt, and Lunt and Wilfon were difcharged. •■ Trial. Kennet. vol. iii. Ralph, vol. ii. A\i^. citat, paflini. •* Johnfton's Let- ters to Carliares. ' Aug. i''95. The 78 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. .) C HA P. TfiE popularity of pafling the triennial bill into a law, fccured » . ' not William from an oppofition in parliament. The commons An inquiry Ordered a flate of the loans, debts, and charges upon the revenue, into abufes. together with an account of the expence of the civil lift, to be laid before their houfe '. They opened, the fame day, a channel of inquiry into abufes and corruptions, which led to important but difgraceful difcoveries of the venality of the times. Upon a petition of the inhabitants of Royfton, againft the violence and. exadlions of the foldiery, the houfe came to fome fpirlted votes. They refolved, that the officers and foldiers, demand- ing and exading fubfiftence-money in their quarters, or on a march, was arbitrary and illegal ; and a great violation of the rights of the fubjedts. Some agents who, by defrauding the foldiers of their pay, had forced them into violences, were com- mitted by the command of the houfe. Guy, fecretary of the treafury, the known inftrument of the crown, in purchafing votes in parliament, was fent to the Tower for taking a bribe for him- felf % They addreffed the King againft colonel Haftings, for his adts of avarice and violence againft his regiment; and that officer was inftantly difcharged from his command. A bill was ordered, in the mean time, to oblige the agents of the regiments to ac- count for the difpofal of the money which they had received '. Thefpeaker This dctedion of flagrant abufes, eftabliftied a well-founded expelled for , . . , ,. corruption, opmion, that the court, the camp, the city, and even the parlia- ment, were infedled with one general contagion of bribery, corruption, and venality. The commons, to extricate themfelves from their part of the afperfion, refolved to proceed in their inquiry. The unfuccefsful attempts made by the city of London, to carry the orphans' bill into a law, and the facility v>ith which it had been lately paffed, created fufpicions of corrupt practices upon that head. A committee was appointed to infped the chamber- ' Journals, January i:th. = Ibid. Feb. if'gj. ■ Ibid. Iain's W r L L I A M A N D M A R Y. 79 Iain's books. They made their report, on the feventh of Marclu C H A P. Several iums of money appeared to have been expended in gain- v- — , — -^ ing votes in parliament. The line of corruption was traced to ^* the fpeaker himlelt. The houle went immediately into debate on the lu!)jed: They foon came to the refolution, " That Sir John Trevor, fpeakc of the houfe, by receiving a gratuity of one thoufand guineas trom the city of London, after paffihg the orphans' bill, was guilty of a high crime and mifdemeanour.'* He had the mortification to put this humiliating queflion to the houfe. He retired under the pretence of a colick. He fignified his demiffion to the King ; and was expelled from his feat in parliament ". The commons, from this fhameful fcene of detedlion, turned Corruptp.rac- their inquiries to another quarter. The affairs of the Eaft-India affairs, company had employed a great portion of the attention of parlia- ment, from the year 1691, till the end of 1693. The company had declined to fubmit to the regulations propofed by the com- mons. They even f ruflrated all the endeavours of that affembly, by procuring a new charter from the King. The houfe fufpeded corruption, upon the prefent occafion; and they ordered the fame committee who had examined the books of the chamberlain, to infpeft thofe of the Eaft-India company. The abftfadls of the fums paid for fpecial fervices, fince the Revolution, foon led to the difcovery fo much required. In the reign of James, the annual charges fcarce exceeded twelve hundred pounds. Ever fince they had gradually increafed. In the year 1691, they were very conliderable. But in the year 1693, when the charter VA-as obtained, they amounted to near ninety thoufand pounds ; which had been lent on the notes of Sir Thomas Cooke, the governor of the company. Cooke was called before the houfe. He refufed to account for the money. He was immediately committed to the " Journals, March 169;. Tower; 8o HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. Tower ; and a bill ordered to be brougbt in to oblige him to make a difcovery. The bill pafled, in a few days, and was fent up to II ^'' the lords for their concurrence ". deteaed f^g Duke of Leeds, fo often mentioned by the progrefiive titles of Sir Thomas Olborne, the Lord Latimer, the Earl of Danby, and Marquis of Caermarthen, by the vehemence of his zeal for Cooke, rendered his own honour fufpeded. The pro- teflations of his innocence, with which he blended his fpeech againft the bill, were confidered as fo many acknowledgments of guilt, in a man more remarkable for his talents, than either for his integrity or difintereftednefs. The houfe yielding either to his arguments or influence, poftponed the bufinefs from the fixth to the thirteenth of April ; a point of confequencc, as the feffion was known to draw near to its clofe. Cooke was brought before the lords, on the thirteenth. He declared himfelf willing to make a full difcovery, on condition of being indemnified againft all adlions and fuits except thofe of the Eaft-India company, ■whom he had never injured. The peers refolved to drop the bill of pains and penalties, fent up from the commons ; and they ordered a committee to withdraw to form fuch a bill of indem- nification as Cooke required. The commons amended the bill with a penal claufe. The lords agreed to the amendment ; and Cooke was dire(Sled, by the ad, to make a full difcovery to a joint com- mittee of peers and commons, on or before the twenty-third of April '. by the com- SoME, in both houfes, were eager in the profccution of the mons. affair. But, from the lofs of time, the majority feemed deter- mined to defeat a meafure, which common decency forbade them to drop entirely. The King himfelf appeared to be no gjeat friend to a difcovery, which threatened to involve himfelf '* Journals, March 26, 169.-, » Journals, paflim, in WILLIAM III. 8/ in the fame fcene of corruption with his fervants. When he ^ ^r ^ ^' came to the houfe, on the twenty- fecond of April, to pafs feve- ' ^ ' 1 '695- ral bills, he recommended difpatch to his parliament ; as he was determined to put an end to the feffion in a few days. The joint committee of lords and commons met at the exchequer chamber. Cooke appeared before them, and delivered a paper, containing an unfatisfa£lory difcovery. Several perfons privy to the tranf- adtlon were examined. Ten thoufand pounds were traced to the King ; five thoufand to the Duke of Leeds, and other fums to other men in power. The fcene of corruption appeared to be as extenfive, as it was fhameful and uncommon. The matter was reported, on the twenty-feventh of April, to both houfes. The commons, in particular, flew into a violent flame. The inno- cent were eager to fhow their own regard to honour. The con- fcioufly criminal endeavoured to palliate their guilt, by an appear- ance of vehemence againfl: the crime ^. The commons, after fome debate, came to a refolution, that Duke of there was fufEcient matter to impeach the Duke of Leeds of high peached, crimes and mifdemeanours. They ordered Mr. Comptroller Wharton to impeach him accordingly, at the bar of the houfe of lords, in the name of the houfe and all the commons of England. The report was read, in the mean time, in the houfe of lords, Leeds was fpeaking to his own defence, when he was apprized of the proceedings of the commons. He fuddenly went down to that houfe, and defired to be heard. He was permitted to fpeak. But his fpeech was not fatisfadlory. He prepared for his defence in a more effedual. way. One Robart, a Swifs by nation, and one of his own domeftics, was the only perfon who could carry home any certain proof to the Duke. Robart was prudently fent back to his native country. The lords addrefled the King to flop the 1 Journals, pafllm. Vol. IL M fugitive, 82 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. fugitive, by fliutting the ports of the kingdom agalnft his flight. Neither William nor his fervants were likely to gain by the in-- quiry. The proclamation was not ifTued till nine days after the addrefs of the peers. The clamours of Leeds for a trial or an acquittal, rofe in proportion to Robarl's diftance from London. A prorogation, on the third of May, at length extinguifhed the inquiry and the Duke's fears. Thus ended a wretched farce; in which the feeble efforts for obtaining juflicej were fcarce lefs dif- graceful than venality itfelf to the age '. Kgarfto^the DuRiNG thefe tranfadions, another matter of the utmofl coin. importance employed a part of the attention of parliament. The bad ftate of the coin, both by diminution and adulteration, became too obvious not to alarm the nation. The money had actually decreafed more than one half, in its nominal value. The King had been, for ibme time, apprized of this growing evil *. He intended to ifTue a proclamation, that no money fhould pafs, for the future, but by weight. He was, however, diverted from this meafure, by the confideration, that the debafement of the coin would facilitate the loans to government. The Earl of Rochefter laid open, in the houfe of lords, the alarming condition of the currency ; and as eariy as the eighth of January, a com- mittee of the commons were appointed to receive propofalsta , prevent clipping, and the exportation of filver. The report of the committee lay, for fome time, negleded on the table. The lords, however, pafled a bill to prevent the counterfeiting and clipping the current coin of the kingdom. They fent the bill down to the commons for their concurrence, on the nineteenth of March ^ The houfe took the report of their committee intot confideration ; and they made feveral amendments, to which the lords agreed- But though the bill contained fome good claufes^ ^ Journals, paffim. ' Burnet, vol.iii* * Joiifnals, March ig, l69£> It WILLIAM III. 83 it was manlfeflly inadequate to the perfect cure of the evil. The vakie of money was funk in the exchange. Guineas, which ought to have been equal in value to one and twenty (hillings and fix pence, rofe to thirty {hillings. The credit of government and the public funds funk to fuch a degree, " as to bring a difcount of forty per cent, upon tallies '." The jufl: complaints of the Englifli mariners, had induced Parliament William to recommend a bill for their encouragement, at the opening of this feffion of parliament. The abufes which pre- vailed by land, were great and general. But avarice and tyranny arrived only at their height in the navy. The agents of the Crown defrauded the feamen of their wages. The captains and commanders of (hips joined In the fame fhameful traffic. The provifions were cheap and unwholefome. Jobs, frauds, and injuftice prevailed in every line ''. Infults abroad were added to the diftrefles of the feamen at home. The Dutch, to man their own fleet, exaded, under the pretence of the King's permiffion, the tenth man out of every Britifh fhip that entered their ports. They rofe in their demands in the courfe of the prefent year. They required a man out of every veffel, though navigated by ever fo few hands. The perfon chofen was either obliged to re- deem his freedom with a confiderable fum of money, or to ferve in a foreign bottom \ The parliament paid no attention either to the recommendation of the King, or the complaints of the fea- men. On the third of May, William came to the houfe of lords; and having thanked the two houfes for the fupplies, put an end to the feflion ^ Though the neceflity of his immediate departure to the con- DifpoGtions tinent, was the reafon afligned by the King for proroguing the thecani-"^ paiga. ' Burnet, vol. iii. ■* Petition to the lords. ' Dutch Etvcroachmcnts, p. 53. MS. Account in the Bodleiari library, Oxon. ' Journals, May :, i6gj. Ma parliament 84 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. parliament in the midft of the enquiry, he remained nine days after the prorogation at Kenfington. Having declared the regency, confifting of the chief officers of flate, on the third of May, he failed from Gravefend on the twelfth ; and arrived, on the fourteenth, at the Hague ^. The allies had made the neceffary preparations for ading with vigour. France, difconcerted by the death of the Marefchal de Luxembourg ^ and her other misfor- tunes, thought only of a defenfive campaign. Lewis defpairing to find a proper fucceflbr to fo great a captain, was long doubtful where he fhould fix his choice. The Marefchal de Villeroi was at length placed at the head of the principal army in Flanders. The fecond army was fubmitted to the orders of De Boufflers. Namur on the light, and Dunkirk on the left, com- prehended between them, the extent of country to be defended by the French. Tournay on the Schelde, and Ypres near the Lys, formed a part of the line. De Boufflcrs was ordered to affemble his army near Mons, to cover Namur. Villeroi ported himfelf between the Schelde and the Lys, to protedl Tournay, Ypres, and Dunkirk '. Preparations againll Na- o.ur. William, having taken the field, on the fixth of June, found himfelf at the head of an army, much fuperior to that of the French. To amufe the enemy, and to conceal his real defign upon Namur, he made fome movements, which rendered Villeroi uncertain where the ftorm was firft to fall. The King afTembled his army in three divifions. The firft, under the Elector of Bavaria, he ordered to advance between the Schelde and the Lys. He ported himfelf, with the fecond, at Becelaer on the Heule. He detached the Duke of Wirtemberg, with the third divifion, to invert the fort of Knoque. Thefe feints and refinements in his motions, the King durft not have attempted, had De Luxembourg f Auft. citat. paflim. ' Mem. du Ffiiquiere, p. 120. Jan. 4. N. S. ftiU WILLIAM in. 85 ftlll commanded the enemy. Any of the three bodies of the allies CHAP, might have been attacked by the whole force of the French army *w — ^ But either Villeroi difcerned not the advantage, or he deliberated till the opportunity was loft ^ ; and William, having at length completed his preparations, refolved to fit down before Namur. He made every neceflary difpofition for inverting the place, for covering the fiege, and for forming an army to obferve the motions of the enemy, on the maritime fide of Flanders. The fiege of Namur was formed by the Eledor of Bavaria, The town in- • r c /-^ • veRcd. with his native troops, the forces of feveral German prmces, and a body of cavalry. William, at the head of the main army, lay behind the Mehaigne, in a condition to pafs that river, and, if neceflary, to fuftain the fiege. The Prince of Vaudcmont, with an army of obfervation, lay between the Lys and the Mandel, to cover thofe places in Flanders which were moft expofed '. The enemy perceiving, at length, the defigns of William upon Namur, the Marefchal de Boufflers, with feven regiments of dragoons, threw himfelf into the place, to reinforce the garrifon. Villeroi, inftead of making any attempt to relieve Namur, refolved to fall upon the Prince of Vaudcmont, who lay, with an inferior force, within three leagues of his army. The Prince was difadvan- tageoufly encamped. His adverfary, however, poflefled no abilities to avail himfelf of what fortune had thrown in his way. When he deliberated, concerning the manner of attack, the op- portunity was loft. The like advantage prefented itfelf a fecond time. But it was only to throw a fecond difgrace on the French, general. The Prince retreated in his prefence, with confummate fkill ; and ftieltered himfelf, with very little lofsj under the can- non of Ghent "". ■* Memoires du Feuquiere. ' Ibid. p. 125. " Memoires du Feuquiere. The 86 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. U. 1695. Operations. The fine retreat of the Prince of Vaudemont, was confidered equal to a vidory. The Frcncli, however, found means to take Dixrauyde and Deynfe, with little refinance. Tiie garrifons were made prifoners of war. Both places were difmantled. The trenches were, in the mean time, opened betore Namur. On the twelfth of July, the batteries began to play. In a fally, on the eighteenth, the French were forced to retreat, with confiderable lofs. The King, on the fame day, ordered the advanced works and traverfes of the enemy to be ftormed. This fervice was per- formed in his prefence, with the greateft refolution and fuccefs. The ground taken from the enemy, was inftantly occupied with batteries. On the twenty-feventh of July, the King carried the firft counterfcarp ; and the Elector of Bavaria, at the fame inflant, found means to throw a bridge acrofs the Sambre, which facili- tated the redudion of the place. The French behaved themfelves with an obftinate bravery. But the allies, animated by the prefence of their leader, were irrefiftible in their various attacks* The outworks were, at length, carried by the befiegers. A prac- ticable breach was made in the innermoft wall. Preparations for a general aflault being made, the town capitulated, on the fourth of Auguft. The garrifon, under the command of the Marefchal de Boufflers, retired, on the fixth, to the callle °. The citadel capitulates. The Marefchal de Villerol, in the mean time, having crofled the Lys and Schelde, made a feint of marching to raife the fiege. His real defign was diredled againft Bruffels; and he appeared, on the thirteenth of Auguft, before that place. Under a pretence of revenging the attacks of the Englifh fleet, on the maritime towns of Flanders, he bombarded Bru (Tel s. Fifteen hundred houfes, and many public buildings were laid in ruins. The Prince of Vaude- mont was an eye-witnefs of a deftrudion, which he could neither prevent nor avenge. On the fifteenth of Auguft, the French " Journal of t'le fiega. general, WILLIAM IIL 87 II. 1695. getieral, being reinforced with a confiderable body of troops, ^ ^^^ ^ P. diredted his march toward Namur. When he had advanced to Fleurus, he gave a fignal of his approach to the befieged, by the difcharge of ninety pieces of cannon. William, leaving the charge of the fiege to the Eleilor of Bavaria, repaired to his army, ftrongly encamped within five miles of Namur. On the twenty- ninth of Auguft, De Villeroi advanced toward the allies. But he found them fo well pofted, that he retired in the night, without noife. The caftle was, in the mean time, preffed by the allies, with the utmoft vigour. In a general affault, on the thirtieth of Auguft, the befiegers, though with great lofs, made fuch a lodge- ment, that the French defired to capitulate, on the firft of Sep- tember "". The taking of Namur, in the prefence of a great army of the Refleftions* enemy, was the mofl; brilliant of William's military adions. Though he had loft that important place, in the like circumftances, his fpirit and conduct throughout this campaign, deferved and received applaufe. An ad: of refentment againft the enemy, added to the reputation which the King acquired by the taking of Namur. The French, contrary to an exprefs cartel for a mutual ranfom of prifoners, had detained the garrifons of Dix- muyde and Deynfe, which places had fallen into their hands* The Marefchal de Boufflers was arrefted as a hoftage, by the orders of the King. He remonftrated in vain. He was fent prifoner to Maellricht, and detained till afliirances were received,, that the imprifoned garrifons fhould be releafed and fent back to the allies. The operatioas of the campaign ended with the fur- render of the citadel. William quitted the field and retired to Dieren, and from thence to Loo. The command devolved upon the Eledor of Bavaria. But the armies feparated, in the end of September. His want of fuccefs, in the preceding years of the " Journal of thftfiegs". warj> 88 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. ^j,r^ enhanced to William the fame of taking Namur. The ^— V » capture of a fingle town could fcarce produce a plentiful harveft of ^^' laurels to a general accuftomed to vidory. Campaign in The War languifhed, on the fide of Italy, between France and many, and the Dukc of Savoy. Cafal was defended by the firft and taken by Spain, jjjg latter, in a manner, that fhewed neither power was fincere in the operations of the campaign. To amufe the allies feemed to be the objedt of both parties. The fame languor, or rather a total inaction, prevailed on the Upper-Rhine. Two armies, alternately offering and declining battle, made a mere paftime and parade of , war. The Spaniards, aided by the maritime powers, were more fortunate than they had been in the preceding campaign. They obtained feme advantage in the field. But they befieged Palamos in vain. The Englifh fleet, which had wintered at Cadiz, could render no etfedual aid to a nation labouring under feeble coun- cils, a want of money, and every fpecies of domeftic decay. Ad- miral RufTel, having fpent the fummer to little purpofe, on the coaRs of Spain and Provence, returned to Cadiz, in the end of September. The glory of infulting the French coafl, and of con- fining the fleet of the enemy in the harbour of Toulon, could fcarce balance the extraordinary expence of the maritime powers, in their efforts to fecond the feeble operations in Spain. and Hun- A peace had been expedtcd, on the fide of Hungary. But the ^'"^^' hopes of the allies vanilhed, upon the acceffion" of Muftapha the Second, to the Ottoman throne. This Prince, pofleiTed of more vigour than his predecefTor, Ahmed the Second, refolved to com- mand his troops in perfon. He took the field. He paiTed the Danube. He flormed Lippa., He feized Itul. Falling fuddenly oa a confiderable body of troops under General Veterani, he killed that officer, di.^perfed his forces, and clofed, with fuccefs, a "Jan. 2<), 1695. I campaign WILLIAM IIL 8j) campaign which promifed nothing but misfortunes. The Eledor chap, of Saxony, who commanded the ImperialiRs, was too late in tak- <._— ^-^-^z ing the field. His- army was ill provided, the feafon was fevers, -^ ^*' the enemy too prudent to hazard that reputation which he had already acquired. Poland, torn as ufual with domeftic fadion, made no figure in the prefent year. France had increafed, by her intrigues, the feuds between the nobles. She had gained, by her fecret influence, the King. The deliberations of the diet were interrupted by every fpccies of civil difcord ; and the afTcm- bly was difolved in confufion °. The operations of the combined fquadrons in the ocean, were TranfaSioni produdive of no ftriking events. The lord Berkeley commanded ''" in chief the fleet deftined to infult the coafl; of France. He bom- barded St. Maloes, with little effed, on the fourth of July. He came before Dunkirk on the firfl: of Auguft. The noted Meefters, a Dutch engineer, applied again his infernals to the Rifbank, with the fame want of fuccefs as in the preceding year. Heats and animofities prevailed between the Englifli and Dutch. Com- plaints were made on every fide. Meefl:ers withdrew from the fquadron, with his machines, in the night. The Lord Berkeley retired and proceeded to Calais. The enemy were prepared to receive his vifit; and having, in vain, difcharged fix hundred fliells into the place, he defifl:ed from his attempt. The naval eff'orts of the Englifli, in the Weft Indies, were at- ^'C^'^crs at tended with no fuccefs. Wilmot and Lillingfton, who command- ed an expedition againfl the French in Flifpaniola, agreed to en- rich themfelves, and quarrelled about the fpoil. The intereft of the public was negleded in their animofities. But though the nation was difgraced by their grofs mifmanagements, no inquiry was made into their condud^ The commerce of the kingdom *■ Hift. dePoIogne, torn. ii. p Journals, Vol. 1L N was, go HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA p," ^as, at the fame time, ill-protedled, through the negligence of u— V 1 the commanders of the navy. Many veilels from Barhadoes were ^ taken by the enemy. Five Eaft India fhips, valued at a million, fell into their hands ■". The misfortunes at fea abated the joy of the people for the fuccefs by land. Admiral Hopfon, appointed to fcour the channel with a fquadron, was either inadlive or un- fuccefsful. The Marquis of Caermarthen, ftationed with feme fliips at Scilly, miftook a fleet of merchantmen for the enemy's navy ; and fled, with all his fails, from the vefTels which he ought to defend'. Affairs of The affairs of Scotland furniflied nothing worthy of being re- Scotland, corded, after the prorogation of the parliament, in the year 1693. The fame regency and the fame meafures continued throughout the fucceeding year. The King, eager to derive all the pofTible aid from that kingdom, to maintain the war, demanded nume- rous levies, from the heritors or proprietors of lands. In the fpace of three months, three thoufand men were imprefTed and delivered to the officers of the government. Thefe with five regiments, making in all feven thoufand foldiers, were embarked atLeithS and tranfported to Flanders. The furrender' of the Bafs, which had been hitherto held in the name of James, is a matter of greater Angularity than importance. Two and thirty perfons had taken pofleffion of that poft and fupported themfelves, by manning their boat and rifling fuch veflels as pafled near their rock. In one of their predatory excurfions, eighteen of their number, having boarded a fliip from Dunbar, were carried to Dundee, by the force of a ftorm. They landed, and fled, by dif- ferent ways. But three were taken, tried, and condemned. To fave their companions, thofe who remained on the Bafs, defired to capitulate. The council agreed to their propofals. The con- «Burnet, vol, iii. ' Burchet. ' Apr. 22, 1694. 'Apr. zi, 1^94. 6 demned \V I L L I A M III. 91 demned were pardoned, and the reft wei-e permitted to depart, ^ ^j^ P* with their baggage and fvvords ". u . - .~ ^ 1695. The malcontents in Scotland found matter for fomenting a Afefiionof jealoufy of government, which rendered the meeting of the par- ^*' '^'" liament of that kingdom dangerous to the authority of its regency. That aflembly, therefore, was prorogued, from time to time, till the necefhties of the crown overcame the fears of its fervants. The funds eftablilhed for the army had expired ; and they had been diverted to other purpofes, by a breach of public faith. To foften the oppofition to the crown, a commifTion was iffued, un- der the great feal, to examine witnefles upon the maflacre of Glenco; as the memory of that adl of barbarity ftill inflamed the pafFions of the whole nation. Though this was an artifice to cover that infamous tranfadlion, by a private Inquiry % it pro- duced, by an appearance of juftice, a favourable change in the minds of the people. But fchemes, ftill more efFedtual, had been previoufly formed to amufe the nation, and to gain a majority in parliament. On the ninth of May 1693", the feflion was opened, by the Marquis of Tweedale, as King's commiflioner. William, in his letter to the parliament, excufed, by the continuation of the war, his not appearing in perfon in Scotland. He recommended to them moderation and union, in matters of the church. He defired, in the moft foothing terms, a renewal of the fubfidies, that had juft expired ". , Soothing expreflions, however, were not the only means Themembers prepared, by the fervants of William, to gain the Scots. One S^'"^'^- Paterfon, who had been the chief inftrument in eftablifliing the bank of England, had framed a mercantile projedtof an extenfive kind for Scotland. Such Engllfti merchants, as had been hitherto difappolnted in their fchemes of forming a new Eaft India com- " Burnet. James II. 1694. * Barnet, vol. iii. p. 156. "King's Letter. N 9 pany, 93 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. pany, gave their countenance to Paterfon's plan ; which, from views of their own, was adopted, with ardour, by the Scotifh mi- niftry. The project was to eftablifh one fettlement at Darien, on the eaft fide of the ifthmus of America ; and another on the oppo- fite fide, toward the South Sea. This fcheme was laid before the King, by Secretary Johnfton. Inftrudions were prepared and figned, impowering the commlffioner to give his affent to any bill for the encouragement of trade. That nobleman, accordingly, communicated the King's intentions to the parliament. The bait was greedily feized. The people loft their refentment, in a condefcenfion, which flattered their hopes of wealth. The par- liament itfelf was all fubmiflfion. A vote of condolence, for the death of the Queen, was inftantly pafled. They gave, at once, all the neceffary fupplies. The ways and means were a general poll-tax, a fix-months cefs out of the land-rents, and an additional excife \ ProceeJi'iigs. BuT notwithftanding this feemingcomplaifance to the crown, the current of the nation, for an inquiry into the maflacre of Glenco, was too ftrong to be oppofed. The artifice of the court-party could not conceal the fliocking circumftances of that barbarous affair. They, however, diverted, with fome appearance of decency, the implication of guilt, from the King himfelf to Dalrymple, his ading minifter, upon that occafion. The parliament voted the whole a murder. They addreffed the King, for juftice, on the offenders. But their application was couched in terms, which feemed to demand no compliance with their requeft. William, accordingly, paid no attention to their addrefs. He even conti- nued his favour, without abatement, to the principal adiors in the tragedy. The bill for eftablifhing a company for trading to Africa and the Indies, was the price of the blood fhed at Glenco. The clamour and misfortunes which this ad produced, Ihall be y Proceedings of Scot. Pari, 3 hereafter II. 1695. WILLIAM m. 93 hereafter explained. Together with this bill, two others of im- chap. portance received the royal affent : An a£t for raifing yearly nine thoufand men to recruit the Scotch regiments, in the fervice abroad ; and one for ereding a public bank in the city of Edin- burgh. On the feventeenth of July, the commilhoner adjourned the parliament to the feventh day of the following November % A KIND of tranquillity fucceeded in Ireland, the inefFedtual AfFairsof Til complaints, which the people of that kingdom laid before the '^ ^" * parliament of England. Sir Henry Capel, created a lord, with other two lords juftices, carried on the government with a degree of precifion. Quarrels fprung among them- felves. Capel abetted the intercfls of the Englifli ngainfl: the old Irifh, without any ftridl regard to equity ^ He courted popula- rity at the expenceof juftice, and fuffercd himfelf to become the property of interefled and defigning men. Elis brethren in office were more fevere and more juft. They fludied to protedt the old Iriih, when opprefTed ^ They gained honour. But they loft po- pularity. Capel, favoured by the Englifh in Ireland, raifed his views to the government of that kingdom. He promifed to the King and his minifters to carry every thing in a parliament, . fliould he be appointed lord-deputy, with powers to difplace fome men in office. His propofal was accepted. Several v>rere re- moved % A parliament was called^. Capel opened the feffion with a demand of money. The a Anion of commons rcfolved to grant an immediate fupply to the King, to P^^^'*""^"!, difcharge the debts of the crown, and to maintain the eftabliflied government. They found it lefs difficult to make the grant, than to find the ways and means. They agreed, at length, on a poll- bill, and fome additional cuftoras. But as both were deemed ina- dequate to the fum required, they refolved to continue, to the end =^ Proceedings of Scot. Pari. Burnet, vol. iii. Ralph, vol. ii. * Burnet, vol. jii, •i Ibid. 'Ibid. ■' /^ug. 27, 1695. of 94 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1695. C HA P. of the year 1698, the additional exclfe, which they had voted ^t the beginning only for a ftiort fpace of time. A quarrel between the lord-deputy and the chancellor, filled the reft of the felTion with debates, and a degree of confufion. A motion was made by the party of the former, to impeach the latter for forming a new fadion in the kingdom. But the chancellor was cleared of all imputation by a great majority. The feffion, however, ended in tranquillity; and, upon the whole, favourable to the lord- deputy. He carried the projects of the Crown in parliament ; and he was recommended as an excellent governor, in a fpecial addrels fent by the commons to the King % Inaflivity of THOUGH the death of Mary raifed the expe<3:ations of the xfng?^ adherents of her father, that Prince fliewed little inclination to avail himfelf of that event. He either refigned a mind, depreffed with misfortunes, to religious enthufiafm ; or, difgufted with the apparent coldnefs of the French miniftry, left his hopes of a re- ftoration to fortune. His friends in England ceafed not, how- ever, to urge him to an attempt on that kingdom. The Earl of Arran endeavoured to rouze him with letters. The Earl of Sun- derland, now much in the confidence of William, betrayed the councils of the latter Prince to his former mafter''. He informed the late King, early in the feafon, that the Englifh fleet were deftined to attack Toulon. But he, at the fame time, gave it as his opinion, that the enterprife would be dropt as impracticable ". The languor which had feized the belligerent powers, extended itfelf to the party of James in England, and to his councils ia France. The latter kingdom was too much exhaufted by inter- nal calamities, either to pufh the war with vigour on the conti- nent, or to avail herfelf of a defcent on the Britifh ifles. « Addrefs of the Commons. ^ Arran to James, March 13, 1695. * Sunderland's Correfpondence, Scot. Coll. Paris. The WILLIAM III. • '9^ The more violent Jacobites, in the mean time, continued their chap. zealous efforts in favour of their dethroned maftcr. Strangers to » f the fituation of the mind of James, and ignorant of the difpofition y^J^ of'wn of France, they endeavoured to rouze the firft with every poffible ^^^''^rents. argument, to make a defcent in England. The abfence of the reigning Prince, his unpopularity at home, and the feuds which fubfifled between him and fome members of the great alliance abroad, were placed in the moft flattering colours before the eyes of the late King. The manifeft decline in the health of William, his lofs of influence in the death of Mary, the difl:refs and confe-- quent difcontent of the nation, their murmurs againft the late heavy taxes, their fears of future burdens, were either magnified or recounted with ardour. James was afliired, by his adherents, that, in the prefent ftate of affairs and opinions, ten thoufand men would be fufficient to eftablifh him again on his throne. They affirmed, that the whole force in England, confifted only of nine thoufand men. That the nation was divided into three parties. That one of thefe was in the interefl: of the late King ; one affedted the views and perfoa of the Princefs of Denmark;, and the third, but the leafl: confiderable, adhered to William ^ Whilst thefe zealots laid their propofals with fo much eager- His party in. nefs before James, his minifter, the Earl of Middleton, main- England, . tained an intimate intercourfe with the principal men in England. The Earl of Sunderland continued his fecret correfpondence. Even the Duke of Devonfhire and the Earl of Pembroke % the latter then lord-privy-feal, feemed to have liftened to the court of St. Ger- mains. The Dutchefs of Devonfhire, either following or leading her hufband, became an agent for James ''. The Princefs of Den- mark, and the Earl of Marlborough profeffed themfelves his firm and unfhaken friends. The affurances made by perfons of fuch weight and confequence, kept alive the hopes of his friendsj , f Stuart-papers, it^^. « Middleton to Mordant, June 6, 1695. ''Ibid. while p6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A P. vvhile he himfelf had fallen into a ftate of indifference concern- k ^—~j ing his own fate '. Middleton, however, made, foon after, fruitlefs ''' applications, in the name of his mafter, to tlie court of LVance. To induce the French miniflry to undertake an invafion of Eng- land, he communicated his intelligence and hopes from that kingdom. He reprefented, that the coaft was left naked of fliips of war. That the difcontents which prevailed at prefent, were likely to increafe, after the intended eled:ioris for a new houfe of commons. William, he faid, was to demand eight millions from parliament; and to alter the eftal)lif]ied fucceffion, by preferring any children he might hereafter beget, to the Princefs of Den- mark and her fon. But Middleton built moft on the credit of Sunderland ; " who,'' he continued, " had been always the firft to deceive himfelf, and the foremoft to betray others." Situation of BuT if James had friends in England, it is only in that William, , . , , . t> ' / kingdom he feems to have had friends. France, exhaufted by domeflic calamities, as well as by the wafte occaiioned by a bur- denfome war, was anxious to obtain peace upon any decent terms. The court of Rome itfelf had forgot the orthodoxy of James, in his pufdlanimity in quitting his dominions without a blow. The fuccefs of William, in feizing the throne of England, his in- flexible perfeverance in all his plans, his courage in the field, his apparent prudence in the cabinet, his former obftinacy in con- tinuing an unfuccefsful war, and, at length, the reputation which he acquired ia the prefent campaign, excited that admiration ■which invariably follows good fortune. He was, befides, feen through a favourable medium, by the nations of Europe. The hazinefs which covered him at home, obfcured not his luftre abroad. The aftonifliing exertions of England in the war, were afcribed to his management. He was confidered as the abfolute mailer of Holland ; and not only the chain which united the ' James II. 1695, grand WILLIAM IIL 97 grand confederacy, but even the abfolute lord of the members of ^ ^\^^ ''• which it was compofed ^. ^ >^— — / 1G95. His rival, if in his prefent diftrefled condition Tames deferved co'iipnred ' _ '' with James, that name, laboured under every difadvantage in the eyes of the world. The enthufiafm which had deprived him of his throne» was conftrued into an incurable folly, by the more fenfible part of his own perfuafion. A kind of wicked policy, as the Pope, perhaps ludicroufly, faid, had fuperfeded every Idea of religion among the Catholic powers, who were engaged in the grand alliance. Innocent the Twelfth himfelf, though he fat in St. Peter's chair, was fwayed by temporal views, from entertaining any favour for a Prince who had facrificed his crown to a blind attachment to the Romilh faith. He received the Earl of Perth, who had been fent in the charader of ambaffador, by James, with manifeft coldnefs ; or treated him with feeming ridicule. The utmofl that the mod prefling folicitations could obtain from that Pontiff, amounted only to a compliment. He affured the Earl of Perth, that he would never concur in a peace, which tended to deprive a Catholic Prince of his juft rights. But Inno- cent and all his court were in the interell of the houfe of Auftria; and thus James, though a very faithful fon of the church, loft his influence with the holy Father, through his de- pendence on France '. William, having fpent fome time at Loo, repaired to the King's pro- ... grefs. Hague, on the feventh day of Odlober. Having, m an inter- view with the Eledlor of Brandenburgh, and in conferences with the States of Holland, fettled the operations of the fucceeding campaign, he returned to England ; and arrived at Kenfington, on the twenty-firft day of the month. In a council held on the " Perth's Correfpondence, Stuart papers, 169J. ' Perth's Letter, Stuart-papers, 1695. You II. O evening qS history of great BRITAIN. CHAP, evening of his arrival, he refolved to diflblve the parliament; and w— ..^ ' to order another to meet, on the twenty-fecond of November. 169;- -pj^g £3^1 of Sunderland, in concert with the court of St. Ger- mains, advifed this meafure \ The former parliament, from their liberal grants to the Crown, were become odious to the people ; and the latter, therefore, were not likely to chufe again, repre- fentatives fo compliant to the views of the King. But William beheld the matter in another light. The popularity which he thought he derived from the glory of a fuccefsful campaign, induced him to hope for a return of members more favourable to his intereft, than thofe who had lately pufhed their inquiries fo far. To improve to his advantage the prefent good humour of the people, the King refolved to make a royal progrefs. But his want of affability, his frigid manner, and dry addrefs, were not calculated either to gain the favour of the populace, or to retain it when gained. A vifit which he paid to the Earl of Sunderland at Althorp, was conftrued, by his enemies, into gratitude for for- mer fiivouKS ; while his precipitate retreat from Oxford, for fear of being poifoned ' at an entertainment prepared by the univerfity,. was confidered as unworthy of his known prudence and ufual courage. A new par- ^^ the cledlions for the new houfe of commons, the Jacobites liament. ^g^e unfuccefsful, in proportion to the decline of their caufe. Few of the known adherents of the late King were returned. But the abettors of the intereft of the reigning Prince, were not implicitly chofen by the nation. Many of the firmeft Whigs were eledted ; men who made a greater diftindtion between the prin- ciples of government, than between the perfons of kings, The two houfes met, on the twenty-fecond of November. Foley, who had fucceeded Trevor, in. the office of fpeaker, was agaia placed by the commons in the chair. The King, in his fpeech from the throne, demanded the ufual fupplies, to profecute with * Stuart papers, 169;. ' Publications of the times, vigour WILLIAM III. 99 jr. — ^ — .J 1695, vigour the war. He complained that the funds which had been ^ ^^^^ ^' formerly given, were deficient. He reprefented, that the civil lift was in a condition which rendered it impoflible for him to fubOft, unlefs that matter fhould command their immediate care. He recommended the French Proteftants to their fupport. He laid before them the bad ftate of the coin. He expreiTed his wifhes for a bill to encourage feamen. He concluded with affur- ing the commons, that he was entirely fatisfied, with the choice which his people had made "". The commons addrefled the King, on the twenty-ninth of A bill fof . ^ resjulating November, and promifed to afhft him effedually in the prole'- tnah. cution of the war. But before any fupply was voted, a bill was brought in, for regulating trials, in cafes of treafon and mifprifion of treafon. A bill to the fame effeft had been often introduced before, and as often difappointed. The adherents of the Court oppofed it in its progrefs. The popularity of the meafure, at length, prevailed. By this falutary law it was provided, that no perfon fhould be tried for high treafon, except an attempt to allafli- nate the King, unlefs the indidlment be found within three years after the offence was committed. That the prifoner fhall have a copy of the indictment, but not the names of the witnefTes, five days, at leafl, before his arraignment. That he fliall have a copy of the panel of jurors, two days before his trial ; and that he fliall have the fame compulfive procefs with the Crown, to force his witnefTes to appear ". A change of fituation too fre- quently makes an alteration in the principles of men. Many who had fuffered by the want of fuch a law, in the two former reigns, oppofed with vehemence the bill. They argued, that the fecurity of the government, was the beft provifion for the fecurity of the fubjeit; and they urged, that the aft, by giving every pof- » Journals, Nov. 23, 1695. * Statute, 7 W. O 2. fible 100 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. A fupply voted. fible advantage to confpirators, expofed the kingdom to revolution and change. On the fecond of December, the commons voted the fupply for the war. Two millions five hundred thoufand pounds were affigned to the navy ° ; two millions for the fupport of an army of eighty-feven thoufand men. Though thefe fums were great, they were lefs than the demands of the Crown. There was, befides, an arrear of deficiency, for which no provlfion was made. But before the fupply was fixed upon adequate funds, a matter of the laft importance employed the attention of the commons. The ad pafled In the preceding feffion of parliament, to prevent the clipping and exportation of filver coin, had been found inade- quate to the purpofe. The evil had rifen to too great a height to be removed by flight remedies. The lords went firfl: upon the bufinefs. They prepared an addrefs, to which they defired the concurrence of the commons, to requeft the King to put a flop, by proclamation, to the currency of clipped crowns and half- crowns. The commons chofe to proceed in their own way. They went into a committee of the whole houfe, to deliberate on the ftate of the nation with refpedt to the current coin ''.- Debates Individuals differed much In their opinions, upon a fubjed in which the intercfts of all were fo deeply concerned. It appeared, from various experiments, that the filver coins, on a medium, were diminifhed at leall one third. In proportion as the intrinfic of filver funk beneath its nominal value, the gold rofe. Two evils, with equal violence, prelTed the nation on either fide. A remedy muft be inflantly applied. The firft queftion propofed to the commons was, whether it was expedient to re-coin the filver money. The houfe was divided upon the fubjed. The oppo- nents of the Court oppofed the re-coinage, with fome fpeclous ' Journals, Dec. 6, P Journals. arguments. WILLIAM m. 101 arguments. They affirmed, that the prefent conjun£lure was by ^ H ^ ''• no means fit for a meafure, whofeoperationsmuftgivefo general and t , » fo violent a fhock to the nation. They obferved, that the people, ' ^^' laboured under the calamity and expence of a burdenfome and doubtful war. That the nation as yet unfettled in their opinions with regard to the prefent eftablifhment, might be provoked by this new grievance to unhinge the government. That though things might be managed and accommodated at home, it would be difficult, if not impoffible, to maintain either commerce or war abroad. That a prefent re-coinage would moil certainly fufpend all the operations of trade, for the want of mutual pay- ments ; and they concluded with affirming, that the people, in their defpair, might be hurried into the mofl dreadful extremities. The neceffity of a fpeedy remedy was argued by the other on the cofn- fide. They obferved, that the bad ftate of the coin, had turned ^ " the exchange of all Europe, in an alarming degree, againft the nation. That, therefore, the fupplies voted for the fupport of the army abroad, would never anfwer their end. That guineas, by this growing evil, were already advanced to thirty fhillings ; and foreign gold in the fame extravagant proportion. That all Europe fent their gold, as the mofl valuable of all commodities, into our market. That gold, at lafl, would remain the fole currency for trade in the kingdom. But that it could not expeded, that other nations would receive that commodity at tbe value which it bore in this kingdom. They concluded with affirming, that the evil would gather additional ftrength every day. That the contagion had already fpread through every vein of commerce; and that Unlefs a fpeedy and powerful remedy fhould be applied, the certain diffolution of the flate advanced with hafty ilrides. The 102 HISTOUY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. The queftion whether the flandard of the feveral denomlna- v_— ^ > tlons of the new money fhould continue the fame, produced A bui'pViled. niany and vehement debates. Some affirmed, that as the price of filver was raifed % the ftandard fhould be proportionably in- creafed. They argued, that the meafure would prevent the exportation of the coin, and the melting of it down, as had been pradtifed for feveral years. They urged, at the fame time, that people ViTOuld be induced to bring their plate and bullion to the mint, from views of advantage. The majority, with more rea- fon, aflerted, that it was impoffible the price of filver could cither rife or fall in refpedl of itfelf. That the alteration in the price of bullion, was merely relative to the diminifhed money ; and they affirmed, in fupport of their pofition, that an ounce of bullion could be adually bought, at the very time, for five fliillings and two pence of new-milled money. As to the ex- portation of the coin, they juftly obferved, that nothing could effectually prevent that evil, but a fuperiority in trade over other nations. The arguments for a new coinage, on the old flandard, at length prevailed. The prefent inconvenience was deemed lefs dangerous, than the future evils which were juflly to be appre- hended, The commons refolved to put a flop to the currency, and to proceed to a new coinage with the utmoft attention and difpatch •■. A bill was accordingly brought in, for that purpofe'; and twelve hundred thoufand pounds were voted, for fupplying the deficiency of clipped money. This fum was ordered to be raifed by a duty, for feven years, on houfes and window- lights '. Addrefs aTainil tlie S:otini Eaft- InHIa com- pany. These meafures, though fpirited, appeared, from the event, to be too precipitate. A proclamation for flopping the currency of 1 To fix (hillings and three pence. ' L'ec. 17. 3 ' Dec 10. " Dec. 31. the WILLIAM IIL 105 the gold coin, was iffued, before the mnit had provided any quantity of new money for the purpofes of trade. This evil was, in fome meafure, remedied by an slQ. formed, upon fubfequent refolutions, in parliament. But the wifdom of that afiembly could not prevent a general lofs of credit, which fhook the government, while it diflrefl'ed the nation. Another affair of importance employed a part of the attention of both houfes, during the debates, on the coin. On the fourteenth of Decem- ber", the lords fent down to the commons an addrefs to the King, againft an adt pafTed in the Scotifh parliament, for eredling a company trading to Africa and the Eaft-Indies. The commons concurred with the peers. The two houfes attended the King with their addrefs. His anfwer was, that he had been ill-ferved in Scotland. But that he hoped fome remedy might be found to the evil of which they complained. This indefinite reply was not fufficient to fatisfy the commons. They refolved, that the direc- tors of the Scotilh company fhould be impeached of high crimes- and mifdemeanors. That a council of trade fhould be eftablifhed-, by a£l of parliament, for the prefervation of the commerce of England. That the commilhoners fhould be nominated by par- liament. But that none of them fhould be members of the houfe^\ An attempt to eftablifh a new board, by adl of parliament, was a bill for confidered, by the adherents of the court, as a high encroachment on the rights of the crown. William himfelf was as fond of the pre- rogative as any of his predeceflbrs in the throne. He confidered the prefent meafure as a precedent for future invafions on the executive power of the King, He ordered his fervants to oppofe the bill, vv'ith all the influence of office. But the current of public opinion was turned toward new regulations, for the protection and encourage- ment of commerce. The wafte occafioned by the war, the lofs by " Dec. i.4» . " Jan. 13, i6g6, capture* neiv council of trade. toi, HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. captures at fca, and the late difaftcis on that element, had raifcd ' . ' general complaints and produced many petitions. The enemies ot •^'^ ' William took advantage of the vehemence of the people. Even fome of his fuppofcd friends and adual favourites promoted a mcafure, v\'hich he avowedly difapproved. The Earl of Sunder- land, with all his adherents, declared for the bill. The King afcribed the condud of this nobleman to his fears from the popu- lar party. But he was in a fecrct corrcfpondence with James ; and he had promifed to oppofe the meafures of William in par- liament ". The com- While the commons feemed, thus, to encroach on the power mons ad- rr f-L 1 1 r dreis againft of the crowu, they puflied an inquiry, which afteacd the perfon rorclaiid.° of the King. Bentinck, whom William had created Earl of Port- land, retained in England that afcendancy in the favour of his mafter, which he had acquired in Holland. He had obtained, from the King, a grant of the lordfhips of Denbigh, Bromfield, and Yale, in the county of Denbigh, and a part of the ancient demefnes of the Prince of Wales. The gentlemen of the county had oppofed the warrant for the grant, in the treafury. They followed it, with their oppofition, to the office of tlie Earl of Pembroke, who was then lord-privy-feal. This nobleman was, at the time, in corrcfpondence with the late King. He heard the petitioners with a feeming candour which bordered on favour. The affair was permitted to lie dormant. But the warrant was not re- called. The gentlemen of Denbigh carried their complaints before parliament. Mr, Price, afterwards a baron of the exchequer, intro- duced the petition with a fpirited, but vehement and bitter fpeech. The houfe, warmed to a degree of fury, voted unanimoufly an addrefs againft the grant. The King promifed to recall the war- rant. But he affured the commons, that he would find fome other way of fhewing his favour to the Earl of Portland ''. He "Stuart-papers, 1695. y Journals. performed WILLIAM III. 105 performed his promife in the moft ample manner, in the fucceed- C ha p. ine; May. « »— -' ^ ^ 1696. In the midfl: of circumftanees fo mortifying to William, a fa- An incident favourable to vourable event changed the whole face of his affairs. The repu- William. tation which he had acquired in Flanders, his weight and confe- quence abroad, and his own perfevering policy at home, were not fufficient to fupply the lofs of influence which he fuftained in the death of Mary. The nation, diftreffed by an adulterated and diminifhed currency, offended at the captures made upon their commerce at fea, and opprefTed with the enormous expence of the war by land, placed all their misfortunes to the account of the King's predilection for other interefls than thofe of England. His manner was better calculated to inflame than to allay the ferment which prevailed in the minds of his fubje£ts. His ene- mies took every advantage of the flate of the public opinion. They increafed the difcontents of the people in general ; and they found means toimprove the fame bad humour in the new par-^ liament. The malcontents had forefeen, in the preceding fummer, the f>;spa"tion3 ^ ° _ _ of James, (or height to which the bad humour of the people was likely to riie. They aninvalion. urged the late King, as has been already related, to undertake an invafion. They promifed infurredtions in England, whenever he fhould appear on the coafl. When the new parliament difcovered fymptoms of refradlorinefs to the meafures of William, the adhe- rents of James redoubled their inftances for an invafion, early in the fpring. They affured that Prince, that to land in England was to regain, without contefl, his crown. That could he once come to London, or even to Tome confiderable town, without any force, the greateft part of the nation would rife in arms, and reftore him to the throne. Lewis the Fourteenth, flattered with thefe accounts, agreed to furnilh an army and every thing neceffary for Vol. IL R a de- 1696 106 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A p. a defcent. He, however, infifted, that the Jacobites fhould rife in arms, before the French troops fhould embark ; and the Duke of Berwick was difpatched, by his father, to England, to take the infurgents under his command \ The preparations of France were carried forward with expedition and zeal. The troops, intended for the invafion, began to draw near to Calais and Dunkirk. Four hundred fail of great and fmall vcflels were aflembled, from diffe- rent ports. James himfclf, urged by Lewis the Fourteenth, took port on the feventeenth of February ; and he arrived, on the twen- tieth, at Calais. The Dutch became alarmed, for their oWn country. But an unaccountable fecurity prevailed in Britain'. d A confpiracy DuRiNG thefe preparations for an invafion from France, a Kbg'slife. confpiracy for affaffinating William was framed in England, by fome zealous adherents of the late King. This fcheme had been forming long. One Crofby had been fent to the court of St. Ger- mains to demand a commiflion from James, for perpetrating the crime. But that Prince fufpeded, from his earneftnefs, that Crofby was employed by William himfelf, to perfuade him to confent to a meafure, which muft for ever put an end to his hopes \ The zealous confpirators had long endeavoured, but in vain, to argue James into an exprefs approbation of the attempt upon the perfon of the King. They, however, obtained at length a com- miflion, for a general infurredlion % againfl: William and all his adherents. This commiflion was placed ^ in the hands of Sir George Barclay, a native of Scotland, a man of courage and an experienced foldier. Barclay arrived in London, in the month of January. He joined himfelf, in that city, to one Harrifon,- a prieft, to Charnock, who, from being a fellow of Magdalen college at Oxford, had become a Roman catholic, and a captain, to one Captain Porter, and to Sir William Perkins. =^ James ir. "1696. "Ibid. ''Ibid. c Ibid. "^ Dec. 10, 1695. ■ These W I im^'A M' nftOTPJli ^^^ 'iiTHESR'inconfidjTate and daring men, ini'^'crme'' pretence 'or a ^ ^ f^ ^• Gommiffion from James, gained over fome defperate Jacobites to ■ -. - ■ aid them, in their projeded fcheme. They iirfl: propofed to fur- -f-he p'l,^,.' prife, feize, and carry William to France*. But this was deemed 'i'''<:ovsfcd, impradlicable, fhould they fcruple totakeliis life^ They refolved, therefore, to attack him, with an armed party confifting of forty men, in the midft of his guards. The fcene of the intended aflault was the lane between Brentford and Turnham-Green, through which William ufually paffed, upon his return from Richmond. The fifteenth of February was the day appointed for the execution of their purpofe. But an unexpeded difcovery baflBed, at once, their views. A Captain Fifher, whom the chief confpirators had refolved to employ In the attack, communicated 'i^- the whole to the Earl of Portland, on the thirteenth of February. The fame evening, Pendergrafs, an Irifliman, and one of the forty, confirmed the information of Fifher. They were both examined by the King in perfon. He encouraged them to mix again with their friends. He kept at home on the fifteenth of February. The confpirators fixed upon the twenty-fecond of the month, to execute their fcheme. The King again remained at home. A panic feized the whole party. Some fled. But others were feized, the next night^, in their beds. The day after the feizure of fome of the confpirators, the King The King's informed his parliament of the danger which had threatened his p^aHiamTnu ^ life. He acquainted the two houfes, that preparations were made in France, for invading the kingdom. He affured himfelf, he faid, that nothing fhould be omitted, on their part, 'that might be deemed proper for the prefent fafety or the future fecurity of his people. He told them, that he had not been wanting, in giving the neceflary orders to the fleet. That he had commanded a confi- fiderable body of troops to be brought home. That fome of the ••James II. 1696. 'Ibid. « Feb. 26, 1696. E 2. confpirators io8 HISTORV of <5REAt BRITAIN. — , ' 1696. CRAP, confpirators againft his perfon were already feized. That care was taken to apprehend the reft; and that, upon the whole, all fuch other orders were given, as the public fafety, in the prefent conjundlure, feemed to require. The two houfes loft, at once, ■g: their bad humour, in the danger to which the life of the King had been expofed. They fent a joint addrefs to the throne, full of expreflions of the moft unlimited zeal and loyalty. They de-^ Glared to all the world, that, fhould his Majefty come to any' violent death, they would revenge the fame on all his enemies and their adherents. As an inftance of their affedlion to Williani, they promifed to give all poflible difpatch to the public bufmefs; and they made it their defire to the King to feize, upon the prefen*-^ occafion, all fuch perfons as he fhould think fit to apprehend'^J^if] q Zealofthe "The commons followed their warm addrefs with various refa*:> two boules. lutions of the fame kind. They ordered in a bill to enable his Majefty to feize all fufpefled perfons. They prepared an addrefs, for commanding, by proclamation, all papifts to retire from the cities of London and Weftminfter. They drew up the form of an aflbciation, for the defence of the King's perfon. They ac- knowledged him the rightful and lawful Sovereign of England. They engaged themfelves to fupport and defend the fucceffion of the crown, according to the a£t of fettlement, pafled in the firftyear of the prefent reign. Four hundred members placed their names to the aflbciation, in one day. Such as withdrew from the houfe or were abfent with leave, were ordered to fign that paper or fignify. their refufal, before the fixteenth of March'. The fame warmth" of afi^edlion and even vehemence of zeal extended themfelves to the Lords. The peers adopted, with little alteration, the aflb- ciation figned by the commons. The whole nation partook of the flame, which the difcovery of the plot had kindled in the two! • houfes of parliament. Their objedions to William were oblite-i'' '' Journals, Feb. 24.. ■ Ibid. 6 rated, r»i rated, at once, by their abhorrence of the confpiracy againfl his ^ ^^, A P. life; and thus the imprudence of his enemies confirmed him in > , -." _j a throne, on which he tottered before. '^9^' rooho u Jloi'asitJoH nwi i hanl!^ ■i.urno';: „^Hi3 unfuccefsful under-plot of a few zealots was fufficient to Projeas of ruin all the prefent projects of the late King. But the feeds of broken. ^ difappointment were already fown in France itfelf. A Mr. Powel had been fcnt to St. Germains, from the Jacobites in England, to lay before James the ftate of the defigns in his favour in that kingdom. Powel fpoke with fuch vehemence, confidence, and zeal, that the late King fuppofed, that his party were refolved to take arms, when they fhould receive certain intelligence of his own preparations for an invafion from France. He defired Powel to put the whole in writing. But, before his commands were exe- cuted, James happened to meet and converfe with the moft -, : Chriftian King. He told that Prince, that his friends in England were ready, upon the firft notice, to take arms. He perceived his miflake, when he read Mr. Powel's written account. But he was afraid of alarming the French minifters, who were never his friends, by undeceiving the King. The preparations, for the expedition, proceeded upon this miftake. The adherents of James had declared it impoffible for them to rife, till he himfelf fhould land. Lewis gave pofitive orders, that not a fingle vefTel fhould fail, till certain intelligence of an infurredion fliould arrive from England. The late King' was perplexed beyond meafure by this infurmountable difficulty. He derived his whole hopes frbm fortune; and, as ufual, he was deceived \ The difcovery of the plot iu England, broke, in an inftant, The invafion the whole fcheme. The kingdom was in a ferment. The French '^"^ ^^"^^' court, who had not hitherto been undeceived, lofl all hopes of an infurredion, and fell into their ufual languor. A ftorm, which ■ ■'James II. 1696. Hiattered i6 6. l\o HISTORY OF GREAT
for the benefit of acquiring, at a low price, a capital in « oa. 22. ' oa. 28. 8 Nov. 3. •■ Nov. 9. ' Feb. 3, 1697. the WILLIAM in. lu the bank, purchafed, with fuch eagernefs, the tallies and notes, ^ ^\,f^ ^' that their price arofe. The latter foon became equal to money* ^t — rv ' The difcounts, on the former, fell rapidly, as a fund for the pay- ments was fixed. To fupply the fcarcity of money, was as ner ceffary for the purpofes of commerce and government, as the re- covery of the credit of the bank notes and tallies. Bills were ordered to be iffued from the exchequer, to the amount of two millions, bearing intereft at more than feven per cent. Thefe were received in the exchequer, with a fmall difcount, in the pay- ments made of the revenue. This meafure raifcd, at length, exchequer bills to an equality with money, and fupplied, at pre- fent, the want of coin. Mountague, who was then chancellor of the exchequer, had the chief merit, in meafures, which, for the time, relieved the nation from imminent diflrefs. The extraordinary cafe of Sir John Fenwick interrupted, in Sir John Fen- fome degree, the deliberations of the commons, on the fubjed: of public credit. Fenwick had been accufed of being concerned in the plot againft the King. He was taken, at New Romney, in the preceding June, in endeavouring to make his efcape to France. He was committed to Newgate, and a bill found againft him by the grand jury". To preferve, or, at leaft, to prolong his life, he fell upon the expedient of obtaining a pardon, as a price of difcoveries to the King. Through the means of the Duke of Devonfhire, he conveyed a paper to William, when he was iri Flanders, containing an account of correfpondences and intrigues, carried on with the court of St. Germains, by the Duke of Shrewf- bury, the Earls of Bath and Marlborough, the Lord Godolphin, and Admiral RufTel, Though this account is known, now, to be true, in every particular, it neither gained William's favour nor ferved the defign of Fenwick. The perfons accufed were too powerful to be punifhed. Befides, Fenwick had refufed to be an k S June II, 1696. Vol. II. R evidence ; i«2 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1696. ^ "iii^ ^* ^^'^^"^c^; 3"*' ^^ he done otherwife, the proofs, which he could produce, were not fufEcient in law. His trial, however was de- layed, by various means, till the King's arrival in England. His friends in the mean time, removed one of the two witnefles, oa whofe oaths the bill had been found ; and, according to the fta- tutes of treafon, a fingle witncfs was not fufficient to cod- demn. He ii attaint- WiLLiAM Is faid to have entertained a pcrfonal enmity ' againft ed and exe- ^ _ jo cuted. Fenwick, for fome expreflions, refleding on his condud, when he ferved in the army in Holland. This difpofition, in the King's mind, combined with the refentment of the accufed perfons, contri- buted to punlfh, in a very irregular manner, that unfortunate man. Admiral Ruflel, by the exprefs permiffion of William, was the firft, who laid before the commons the information of Fenwick, which reflected on himfelf and feveral other perfons of high rank. The prifoner was brought to> the bar of the houfe, and required to confefs all he knew*". He declined to obey, without aflurances of pardon were firft given. Upon a vote pafled, on his own pa- per, a bill of attainder was introduced againft Fenwick". He was heard, by his council. But the weight of the crown and the in- tereft of his enemies prevailed. The bill pafled the commons, after violent debates " ; and, though much oppofed in the upper- houfe, it received the fandion of the lords ', and the aflent of the King. On the twenty-eighth of January, he was beheaded^ on Tower-hill. His behaviour, at his death was more fpirited, than his conduit in prifon. The precedent eftabliflied, in his cafe, was juflly deemed dangerous ; as nothing could be lefs ex- Gufed, than the employing of the whole force of the legiflature to take away the life of a man, whom the laws of treafon could not condemn. The death of Fenwick was not of fuch confequence to ' James II. 1694. " Journals, Nov. 6. "Ibid. f Nov. 25, 189 againft 156. •■■ 68 againft 6u Feb. 9, 1657. the WILLIAM III. 123 the public quiet, as to juftify this violent exertion of the ultimate power, repofed in the ftate '. 1696. An uninterrupted complaifance to the crown continued through- obfequiouf- out the feflion. The commons provided, with chearfulners,forthe Uamen^''' feryice of the year. They made good eight hundred and forty thou- fand pounds, which the funds, forthelaft, had fallen (horf. Upon a meflage from the King, they granted a fupply of more than five hundred thoufand pounds, for the fupport of the civil lift. They, as, the laft gift of the feflion, made provifion for the payment of the debt, for the tranfports employed in the redudion of Ireland. Theliberality of the commons raifed, in fome degree, the refent- ment of the people. They were openly traduced as corrupt, by in4'viduals. They were frequently befieged, in their houfes, by mobs. The public bufmefs being finilhed, on the fixteenth of A,pril, the King put an end to the feflion, with a fpeech from the throne. He thanked the commons for their large fupplies. He informed both houfes, that he found it neceflTary to go for fome time abroad. But that he would take care to leave the admini-, ftration of government in the hands of perfons upon whom he could depend'. An event, which happened three days after the rifing of parlia- sanderland ment, rendered remarkable the paragraph with which his Ma- »•> office, iefty clofed his fpeech. To the aftonifliment of the nation, he railed the Earl of Sunderland to the office of lord- chamberlain, in the room of the Earl of Dorfet ; who had fufl^ered himfelf to be bought out of his place, with the public money. That this lord uniformly betrayed the late King to the views of the prefent, when Prince of Orange, is now known, and was, even then, fuf- peded, by the intelligent. There feemed, therefore, to have been a degree of imprudence, in the appointment, though the place, * James II. 1696. • Feb. 9, 1697. • April 1 1, R - which 124 • HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, -v^'hich he held before in William's favour, entitled him to a part III ■_ — ' of the management of public affairs. On the twenty-fecond of *^^^' April, the earl was fworn a privy-councillor, and, as fuch, took his place at the board. He was comprehended in the commiffion of lords-juftices ; and, though at the time- in correfpondence with James ", was one of thofe perfons, on whom, William faid to his parliament, he could thoroughly depend. ,!■> Conprefsat On the twcnty-fourth of April, the King left Kenfington, and Rifwick. arrived, on the twenty-feventh, at the Hague. The advances made toward a peace, in the end of the preceding fummer, were / improved in the winter. William had named, in the month of December, three plenipotentiaries to negociate a treaty. The French King had appointed two perfons, in the like capacity, to be joined to Callieres, who had long carried on a negociation at the Hague. The Emperor and the court of Spain threw various objedipns in the way.' But thefe being, at length, over-ruled, by the reft of the allies, a congrefs was agreed to be opened, under the mediation of Charles the Eleventh, King of Sweden. That Prince dying, in the mean time, the office of mediator was tranf- ferred to his fon. The ambaffadors of the belligerent powers met, on the ninth of May, at a houfe belonging to the King of England, in the neighbourhood of Rifwick, a village fituated be- tween Delft and the Hague. The peace FRANCE and the maritime powers feemed to find little diffi- the Emperor culty, in defining their refpedive claims. England and Holland and Spain, -j^^j fcarcc any farther concern in the treaty, than to fettle a bar- rier in Flanders, and to procure an ample acknowledgment of William's right to the throne. Callieres, then fole plenipotentiary for Lewis the Fourteenth in Holland, had confented, as early as the tenth of February, to preliminaries, which declared, that , , '.c-. ' Stuart-papers, 1696. James II. 1696, 5 Strafbourg WILLIAM' m. 12; Strafbourg fhould be reftored to the Emperor, Mens, Charlcroi, ^ ^,,^ ^• Dinant, and the whola duchy of Luxembourg, together with the conquefts in Catalonia to the Spaniards, the duchy of Lorrain to its native Prince ; and that the title of WiUiam fliould be acknow- ledged, without any manner of difficuhy, reflriiftion, condition or referve. But that the claims of other Princes fhould be left to be fettled, by the treaty for a general peace, to be negociatcd under the mediation of the King of Sweden. The houfe of Auftria, however, in neither of its branches, feemed willing to put an im- mediate end to the war. Though Spain was deftitute of troops, of fhips, of money, and of councils. Though the grandees, at variance among themfelves, pofleffed no credit at court nor autho- ■rity among the people. Though the monarchy tottered through all its extenfive dominions, the Influence of a haughty and impe- rious woman, who hated every body and was herfe.lf detefted by all, fwayed the timid mind of Charles the Second, to liften to the court of Vienna, and to continue a war which he abhorred. The caufe of this obflinacy, on the part of the Emperor Leo- Thecaufeof pold, requires to be explained. Charles the Second, the lafl; male nacy. of that branch of the houfe of Auftria, which had fat, for near two centuries, on the throne of Spain, was a prince, weak in body and feeble in mind; fubjedt to- melancholy, and a flave to paflion ; a ftranger to bufinefs, timid by conftitution, as well as through Ignorance. His mother, who was fifter to the Emperor, had endeavoured to protract her own authority, as regent, by keeping him longer a child in his underftanding, than he was in his years. Don John of Auftria, though he ftrlpt her of her power, followed her fyftem. The mlnifters, who fucceded Don John, purfued the fame principle. They kept their fovereign a kind of prifoner, in his own palace; and governed, in his name, a kingdom long ex- haufted by a fucceflion of wretched councils. The treaty of Nlme- guen having eftablllhed a good underftanding between the courts of Madrid it)97' is$ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Madrid and Verfailles, the King married Maria-Louifa, daughter of the Duke of Orleans. This princefs, unambitious of govern- ing a weak hufband, left him, at firft, in the hands of his mini- fters ; and her interference, at length, in favour of France, proved fatal to herfelf. In the beginning of the year 1689, England and Holland, in alliance with the Emperor, refolved to draw Spain into the war againft Lewis the Fourteenth. The Queen died fuddenly. Mansfeldt, the Imperial ambaflador, and the Count of Oropeza, were at no pains to conceal, that they had removed, by a wicked piece of policy, a perfon, who was likely to obftru£t their views ". Intrigues for ^ DAUGHTER of the Dukc of Neubourg fuccecded the unforr^ the Spaniih tunate Qiieen, in the bed of Charles the Second. Being fifter to the Emprefs, fhe was firmly attached to the allies, and fhe governed Spain. She entered into the views of Leopold, for pre-' ferving the fucceflion of the crown in his own family, in exclufion,, of the female line. Her object was to induce her hufband to fend for her nephew, the arch-duke, to Madrid, to be educated, as the fole heir of Spain. The King, for fome time, refilled her importunities. But, in the year 1696, he yielded to his own fears. Alarmed at the progrefs of the French, in the heart of his kingdom, he promifed to invite the arch-duke to Spain, upon condition that the Emperor (hould fend twelve thoufand of his troops to oppofe the enemy in Catalonia. The flow councils of the court of Vienna obftrudcd this defign, till mutual advances* toward a peace, "were made, by France and the maritime powers. The Emperor, therefore, endeavoured, when too late, toprotra«3: the war, as favourable to his own views on the Spaniih fuccef- fion ". ■oqv Operationsin While the Emperor and his influence, by means of the Queen,' over the councils of Spain, obftrudted the treaty, with new de- " Torcy's Memoirs, vol. i. " Ibid. mands, Flandtrs and Caialonia. WILLIAM III. 127 1697. mands, Lewis the Fourteenth declared hisrefolution to adhere to ^ ^^^ ^• the articles of the preliminaries. His minifters fignified in form, that the treaties of Weftphalia and Nimeguen muft be the bafis of the future peace. That it remained whh the allies to agree to terms or to profecute the war. This declaration at the congrefs was ftrengthened by operations in^ the field. The Marefchal de Catinat inverted and took Aeth. William was either indifferent, as to the fate of the phce, or unprepared to raife the fiege. He joined the army, in perfon, on the twenty fourth of May. The Marefchals de Villeroi and BoufBers were pofted too advantage*- oufly to be attacked. He, however, dHappornted the defigns cf the French upon Bruflels and the fortrefs of Trors Trous, But the chief efforts of Lewis were made on the fide of Spain, to ex- tricate, by difafters, the timid mind of Charles the Second from the intrigues of the Emperor. The Duke de Vendome laid fiege to Barcelona, by land. The Count d'Eftrees blocked up the place by fea. The count de Velafco, dividing the force, with which, he propofed to raife the fiege, was furprifed, in both his camps,, and put to flight. The city capitulated, on the laft day of July ; and that conqueft determined the Emperor and Spain to liften to the propofals of a general peace \ The fuccefs of the arms of France was balanced, by the defeat Crown of po- of her negociations in Poland. The death of King John Sobieflci, toVmes^ on the eighth of June, in the preceding year, had opened a Icene of intrigue fq§ the crown of that kingdom. The prediledion of the Queen, for her younger fon, Alexander, in oppofition to James, the elder, divided the friends of the late King, and ruined the in^ fluence of his family. Many of the Poles had turned their eyes to another quarter. The Abbe de Polignac, ambafTador of France in Poland, wrote to his niafter, that thoughts were entertained of > the late King of England, in the new eledion, for filling the "? » Hifl. de France, torn. iii. Hid. d'Efpagne, torn, ii, throne; igg HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. tlirone ; and that he had been already named by fome of the diets. Lewis was eager to feize an opportunity of ridding himfelf, with ' '^'' honour, of a Pi-ince, whofe pretenfions he could no longer fup- port. He fent de Pomponne to St. Germains. The friends of James were fanguine for the projcdl. But he rejected it himfelf. He told de Pomponne, " that he would ever retain a grateful re- membrance of his friends in Poland. That, however, he would not accept of the crown, had it actually been offered ; much lefs would he endeavour to obtain by foiicitation any throne, that was not his due. That his acceptance of any other fcepter would amount to an abdication indeed of that which he deemed his right. -That, therefore, he was refolved to remain, in his prefent forlorn condition, poffefling lefs hopes than ever of being reftored, than to do the leaft adt to prejudice his family "." Conferred on The felf-denial of Tames induced. Lewis to turn his eyes to the the Eleftor "^ , ri-r.i-/ii Spain. The Emperor, however, continued obftinate, and he Treaty ri^ned was deferted by tlie reft of the allies. William having fettled his ^"^^'^ '"• own concerns with France, had left the army, on the third of Auguft, and retired to Dieren. He difpatched from thence the Earl of Portland to the Hague. He ordered him to acquaint the. congrefs, that he had adjufted matters in fuch a manner with, Lewis the Fourteenth, that no delay, in the general peace, fhould arife from his concerns. That, therefore, he earneftly preffed, the allies, and particularly the Emperor, to contribute all that lay in their power toward concluding fo great a work. This decla- ration of the King, was regarded as a command. The pleni- potentiaries of the States figned the treaty, on the ninth of September, about mid-night. Their example was taken, in an hour after, by the ambaffador of Spain ; and he was followed by the plenipotentiaries of England. The treaties of Munfter and Nimeguen ferved as a baGs for that with Holland. The. places taken in Catalonia, the Duchy of Luxembourg, the county- of Chinei, Charleroi,Mopj5, Aeth, Courtrai, and all places united to. France, by the chambers of Metz and Brifac, were reftored to Spain. The King of England agreed to pay fifty thoufand pounds a year,. by way of jointure, to King James's Queen ; and Lewis the Fourteenth engaged aot to difturb William in the polfeflion of his. kingdoms ". Room was left for the Emperor to accede to the treaty; and Peace bt. J. ^ •,-,■ IT- 1 • IT tween Francs an immediate armutice was procured, trance, having difu- and the Em- nited the allies, entertained no doubt of forcing the Emperor P^™''" ^^^' and empire into a peace. Leopold having complained of being a fecond time deferted by the Dutch, in a pacification with France, thought proper, at length, to comply. On the twentieth of ■ Vid. Treaty. October., 136 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Odtober, his ambaflador figned alfo the treaty of Rifvvick. The terms were regulated by thofe of Weftphalia and Nimeguen, Fribourg, Brifgau and Philipfbourg were reftored to the Emperor. The duchies of Lorrain and Bar were, on conditions, rendered back to his nephew, the Duke of Lorrain " ; and thus a general tranquillity, though not deflined to laft long, was re-eftablifhed in the North and Weft of Europe. Objed^ions have been made to the condudl of the King of England, in figning a feparate peace, againft both the letter and fpirit of the grand alliance. But the diftrefles which would have been brought upon the king- dom through the continuance of a war, that ceafed, with regard to England, to have any object, and the impotent obftinacy of the Court of Vienna, fufficiently juftifies William, in forcing, in a manner, the Emperor to the acceptance of reafonable terms. The bloody Th e Emperor had fcarce agreed to the treaty of Rifwick, Zenta. when he received intelligence of the total defeat of the Turks at Zenta '', a fmall village on the weftern bank of the Theyfle, in the kingdom of Hungary. The famous Prince Eugene of Savoy* had fucceeded the Eledor of Saxony in the command of the army; and to his fpirit and condujH ><(l H A p. ' w '. 1699. lords of England. That If fuch things were allowed, no nation, no ^ ^^^ dominion could be fafe, againft the ambition of the ftrongeft, and the deceits of the mofl malicious. That (hould ftrangers be permit- ted to put their hands in the lines of fucceflion of Kings, no ftatutes, no municipal laws would be obferved. That no crown could be free from the attempts of aliens; and the crown of Eng- land lefs than any crown. That were men to lie watching for the indifpofitlons of fovereigns, no health could be conftant, no life fecure \ The Marquis defcended from general obfervations to particu- Am'nfoieHt ^ ^ . 1 • 1. memorial by lar fads. He informed the lords or the regency, that it ought the Spaniih not to have been prefumed, that the King of Spain had not taken ^'^^^^^^'*'» proper meafures againft all accidents that might difturb the public peace, and break the repofe of Europe. That unlefs a flop fhould be put to thefe fmifter proceedings, thefe clandeftine machinations, thefe unjuft projeds, an univerfal war muft be the confequence iu,; throughout Europe. That fuch a misfortune would be highly prejudicial to the people of England, who had lately tried and felt the inconvenience of novelties, and the infupportable burden of the confequent war. That this latter circumftance was fo ob- vious, that the memorialift doubted not but it muft be owned by the parliament, the nobility, and all the Engli(h nation. That the fame nation muft confider their own intereft, their trade and their treaties with Spain, the danger arifing to thefe, from a divi- fion and feparation of the Spanifh monarchy ; and that nothing can prevent thefe misfortunes but their difappointing the pro- jedl already begun at Loo, and their determining not to help for- ward novelties, ever fupremely hurtful to all fovereignties and empires. He concluded with afluring the regency, that the King his maftcr, wouldjender manifeft to the parliament of England, * Memorial, Augnft 1699, when i68 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ "v!^ ^' "^if^ that affembly fliould meet, the juft refentment which he '——-'/ ' now exprefTcd to their lordfhips '. 1699. * ^ HcMordered This infoletit memorial was tranfmittcd to William, before kingdom. any anfwer was made by the regency. The King was not of a complexion either to admit of appeals from the prerogatives of the Crown to the reprefentatlves of the nation, or to fufFer any reflexions againft his own right to the throne. He ordered Mr. fecretary Vernon to fignify to the Spanifli ambaflador, that he mufl: depart the kingdom precifely in eighteen days. That, in the mean time, he fhould confine himfelf to his houfe; and that no writing fhould be any more received either from himfelf or any of his domeftics. The King, at the fame time, ordered his am-« baflador at the court of Madrid to complain of the affront offered to his perfon, and the refledlions thrown on his government. He endeavoured to exempt the King of Spain from having any fhare in the outrage committed by his ambaffador. But that Prince made himfelf a party in the difpute, by ordering the Englifh ambaffador to depart the kingdom within the fame fpace of time that had been limited by William to the Marquis de Canailles. Affairs of the These difputcs between William and Spain, neither haftened nor retarded the fecond treaty of partition, which that Prince concluded the next year with France. His attention was not con- fined to the fubje£t of the Spanifh fucceflion, though the declining health of Charles the Second threatened Europe with thofe miferies which it then feared, and foon after experienced from his death. The King employed his good offices in fuppreffmg a flame, which feemed ready to be kindled in the North. Chrif- tian the Fifth, King of Denmark, dying on the fourth of Sep- tember, was fucceeded in the throne by his fon Frederic the fourth. Frederic inheriting the refentment, and purfuing the defigns of 8 his WILLIAM in. i6- ■> tender ten pounds, to relieve them upon any emergency. They had failed from the Frith of Edinburgh, on the feventeenth of July 1698; and, after having encountered many difficulties and fuffered much mifery, arrived in America, about the middle of Oaober'. They are dif- Ha VINO treated With the natives for a permiflion to fettle on the jhe j^fn-T. ^ coaft of Darien, the adventurers landed, on the fourth of Novem- ber. The King, either fwayed by thejealoufy of the Dutch, or to gratify the Englifli, who had already fignified their difapprobation of the company, feemed refolved to add to the misfortunes ia which the Scots had involved themfelves. He fent orders to the governors of the colonies, to iffue proclamations forbidding his fubjeds in America to give any affiftance to the adventurers, upon pain of his difpleafure, and of fuffering the fevereft punifhment* .There was a degree of inhumanity, and a palpable injuftice, in this conduct. The King himfelf had given his affent to an aO:^ and figned a royal charter for the eftablifhment of the company. The Spaniards had not yet complained of any encroachments on their territories. William, by evafive anfwers to the reprefen- tations of the Scots, had, in a manner, prevented them from providing againfl: a hardfhip, which no fubjeds, acting under the authority of the law, had any reafon to fear from their fovereign. To compleat the misfortune, the King liftened to the com- plaints of the Spaniards ™, againfl: an ill-fated body of adven- tuirers, already perifhing in their ov/n folly. They were now deflitute of all things. A foreign Prince was preparing to expel them by force j and they were deferted by their own, Df:!refiffthe The furvivors amoug the Scotifh adveiiturers being in diftrefs> .-.jvtnturcif; ^q^q forccd to fend a deputation to the Englifh colonies, to obtain a ferment m -^ ° the Qation, ' < ' Defence of ths £cots> &c. " May 3, 1693. froia WILLIAM IIL lyr from the humanity of the inhaliltants, tlic fupply which the rigid C fi A ?. edidts of government had denied. Tiiey failed to Jamaica; ■ tliey u-— ^— ^ diredled their courfe from that illand to New- York. They found ^'■'' no reUef in either place ; and they profecuted their voyage to Europe. The company, and the whole Scot! fli nation, were inflamed at once, with refentment and difappointment. The firft fent an addrefs to the King. They followed the addrefs with a petition for a feffion of parliament. Neither of tlif papers produced the defired cfFed. The King, in his anfwer, by his fecretary, the Earl of Seafield, regretted the lofs which the kingdom and the company had lately fuftained. He told them, that, upon all occafions, he would prote£l and encourage their trade. That the fubjefts of Scotland fhould always enjoy the fame privilege, as formerly, to trade with the Englifli plantations. But as for the parliament, that he had adjourned that aflembly to the fifth of March ; and that they fhould be aflembled, when he judged the good of the na- tion required their meeting. This new repulfe was conftrued into a frefh injury. Defpair was added to rage and refentment; and a general ferment feemed to threaten a general revolt". The King embarked for England, on the thirteenth of Odlo- William rc- ber; and having landed, on the feventeenth at Margate, arrived change in the the next day at Kenfmgton. The obftrudlions attending the "'^""'^^* fervice of the Crown, in the laft feffion of parliament, had either prevailed with William to make a change among his fer- vants, or induced fome of themfelves to refign. The Earl of Orford retired from the admiralty. The Earl of Jerfey fucceeded the Duke of Shrewfbury as fecretary of ftate. The Duke of Leeds was removed from the head of the council ; and the office of prefident was conferred on the Earl of Pembroke; whofe place, as lord-privy- feal, was filled by the Loi-d Lonfdale. A few days ° after the King's return, the Duke of Shrewfbury came • Enquiry into the caiifss of the mifcarriage at Darien. • Oft. 2;. Z z again 17* HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, ap-aiii into office, as lord-chamberlain. Montagu, the chancellor v^, ..„-_/ of the exchequer, forefeeing the difficulty of managing the affairs ' ^^' of the Crown, in a refradory houfe of commons, refigned his place at the board of treafury. Thefe changes in the higher departments, neither pleafed the Whigs nor gratified the Tories. A i'ullcn humour pifevailed through the kingdom ; and though the two parties that divided the nation were implacable, with, regard to each other, they fccmed both to agree to oppofe jointly the King ■■. Meets. ^arjiamcnt Jn thls ftatc of things and opinions, the parliament met, on the fixteenth of November. The King made an elaborate fpeech to the two houfes, full of expreffions of affeftion for his parlia- ment and care of the public good ^ He, however, feemed to have flill retained a fenfe of his diffiitisfadlion with the proceed- ings of the commons in the laft feffion. The commons, oq the other hand, brought back to their houfe, the ill-humour in ■which they were prorogued. In the place of an addrefs of com- pliments and thanks, as had been ufual on fuch occafions, they prefented to the King, but after a long interval S a remonftrance. They befeeched William, from the neceffity of a mutual confi- dence between himfelf and his parliament, to fliew marks of his higheft difpleafure, to fuch perfons as Ihould prefume to mifre- prefent their proceedings. They promifed, in return, to dif- courage all falfe rumours and reports, refleding on his Majefty's perfon and government, as tending to create mifunderftandings between the King and his fubjeds. William chofe to foften the rage of his commons, rather than to gratify his own refentment. He feemed as if he underftood not the ill-humour of the addrefs ; and his anfwer, though guarded, was full of an appearance of kindnefs '. f Publications of the year. i Nov, i6. ' Dec. 2. » Dec. 24. William, William irr. 173 William, however, was too late in his fclicmc of concilia t- *- ^^^ •'• Ing the afFedions of the commons with foothing words. He was « .— -— * ill-ferved in the houfe, by thofe members who formed a part of inquiry into his miniftry. Montagu was not fucceeded in the chancellorfliip ^J^'.^^ °'' "" of the exchequer, by a man of equal parts. Mr. fecretary Ver- non, if a member of abilities, was not fufficiently trufted by the King, to acquire any confiderable v/eight in parliament. The ill-humour, the induftry, and the eloquence, were all on the oppofing fide. All the debates, and moft of the refolutions of the commons were violent and hoftile. They had appointed, in the laft feffion of parliament, feven commiflioners, to enquire into the ftate and grants of the forfeited eflates in Ireland. The lower houfe had repeatedly pafled bills for applying thofe eftates to the public fervice. But the bills had been defeated in the houfe of lords, by the influence of the Crown, and the intereft of fuch as had obtained gi-ants from the king. The oppofition founded fanguine hopes of diflrefruig the Court on a fubjed fo 'popular. They called therefore for a report of the inquiry, which was ac- cordingly laid before them, by Mr. Annefley, one of the com- miffioners '. In this fingular report it appeared, that three thoufand nine Report of th« hundred and twenty-one perfons had been outlawed, fmce the '^°'"^'^'°"* thirteenth of February i68g. That all the lands belonging to forfeited perfons, amounted to more than one million and fixty thoufand acres. That the annual rent of thefe lands, amounted to two hundred and eleven thoufand fix hundred and twenty- three pounds ; which, by computing fix years purchafe for a life, and thirteen for inheritance, amounted to the full value of two millions fix hundred and eighty-five thoufand one hundred and thirty pounds. That fome of the lands had been reftored to tlie old proprietors, by the articles of Limerick and Galloway j and ' Journals. Others, ers. ,74 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, others, by a corrupt revcrfal of outlawries, and by royal pardons, obtained by the favourites of the King. That fixty five grants and cuftodiams had pafled the great feal of Ireland. That the mofl confiderable of thefc grants were made to perfons born in foreign countries; to Kcppel, to Bentinck, to Giuckle, and to Rouvigny; who had been all dignified with peerages in one or other of the two kingdoms. That befides, a grant had pafled the great feal to Elizabeth Villiers, now Countefs of Orkney, a woman peculi- arly favoured by William, of all the private eftates of the late King James, containing ninety-five thoufand acres, worth twenty- five thoufand nine hundred and ninety-five pounds a year : and that, upon the whole, the value of Irifh forfeitures amounted to three millions three hundred and nineteen thouland nine hun- dred and forty-three pounds ". 1700. Violence of Th E couimons having examined this report, refolved, unani- irions. ' moufly, on the fifteenth of December "', that a bill fhould be brought in, to apply all forfeitures in Ireland, from the thirteenth of February 1689, to the ufe of the public. A claufe was alfo ordered to be inferted in the bill, for ereding a judicature for determining claims touching the faid forfeitures. But, at the fame time, the houfe came to a refolution, not to receive petitions from any perfon whatfoever. This uncandid mode of proceeding f. in the majority, off'ended the dlfpaffionate; while it alarmed ther^ court, and difgufted the King. While yet the bill remained ini committee, another incident added uneafinefs to refentment in the breafl of William. On the fifteenth of January, Mr. Montagu, in a fit of indifcreet zeal, informed the commons, that a member of the houfe, in a letter to the commifiioners, had direded thetn to make a feparate article of the Countefs of Orkney's grant ; becaufe that circumftance would refledt on a certain person. Montagu explained this certain perfon into the King. The houfe ordered him to make good his charge. He endeavoured, " Joarnals. * Dec. 15, 1699. WILLIAM m. 175 in vain, to avoid an anfwer. But being threatened with the "y"^ ^• Tower, he named Methuen, lord-chancellor of Ireland, as the in- ' — ~'CZ~^ former. Methuen denied the charge. Montagu became the vidim of his own zeal ; and the commons voted that his report was fall'e and Ccandalous. They refolved, at the fame time, that the four commiflioners, who had figned the report concerning the Irifh forfeitures, had acquitted themfelves with underftanding, courage, and integrity. They, at the fame time, committed Sir Richard Leving to the Tower, as a perfon who had tlirown a groundlefs and fcandalous afperfion on the four commiffioners \ Though the court-party were, almoft in every queftion, the T'^^^.f^^'*^ ^ ■' _ ' _ ^ the bill of re- minority, they endeavoured to defeat, in part, the bill of refump- fumption to- tion, by propofing a claufe, for referving a proportion of the for- ^ "^^ ^* feitures to the difpofal of the King. The houfe, not content with putting a negative on this motion, refolved that the advlfing, pro- curing, and paffing the grants for the forfeited eflates, and others in Ireland, had been the occafion of contracting great debts upon the nation, and laying heavy taxes on the people ; and that the paffing of thefe grants highly reflected on the King's honour''. "While the commons exhibited this fplrit of refraftorinefs, the affair of the fupply for the current fervice commanded a part of their care. The land forces were continued on the fame footing, as in the preceding year. But the feamen were reduced to i^y^w thoufand men. The ways and means were chiefly a land-tax of two fhillings in the pound, with a borrowing claufe of near a million, with the furplus of the old fubfidy, ending on the twenty- fifth of December, together with that of the funds for the civil lift, which were to terminate at the end of theprelent year. In a narrow infpedlion of every branch of the revenue, a great lofs to the public was difcovered in the colledtion of the excife. A claufe •was inferted in the bill of fupply, to enable his Majcfty to farm * Journals, Jan. jjoo. 5' Jan. 18. 7 ihal 176 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, ti^-^t branch of the revenue ; and it was at the fame time pro- u- ■ ■<-■ -I vided, that no excife or cuftom-houfe officer ihould be capable, for '^''°' the future, to fit in the houfe of commons'. Their refolu- To fecurc the aflcnt of the King to the refumptlon of the Irifti forfeitures, the bill was called a bill of fupply ; and tacked to that for the grants of the year. The money to be raifed by the faleof the lands, was appropriated to the difcharge of the tranfport-debts, the arrears of officers, the fums due for clothing, the iaterell upon tallies, orders, tickets, and exchequer-bills. - During the debates on thefe fubjeds, the commons, in a grand committee, confidered the ftate of the nation''. In a queflion, which tended to an ani- madverfion upon the King's fervants-, the court-party prevailed. But the houfe refolved, on the fifteenth of February, to reprefent to his Majefty in an addrefs, their refolutions, relating to grants of the forfeited eftates in Ireland. William's anfvver expreflcd fome part of the refentment, which he entertained againft the harfh pro- ceedings of the commons. He told them that he. was not only led by inclination, but even by juftice, to {hew favour to fuch as had ferved him well. That their fervice in Ireland was, with pe- culiar propriety, rewarded out of the eftates forfeited by the re- bellion in that kingdom ; and that the leflening of the national debt, by juft and effedual means, would, in his opinion, beft contribute to the honour, fafety, and intereft of the kingdom % The commons were fo much offended with this reply, that they refolved, that whoever had advifed the anfwer to their addrefs, had ufed his utmoft endeavour to create a mifunderftanding and jealoufy, between the King and his people'. and proceed- This fcffiou of parliament was throughout hoftile to the King. ing\o' ["he The grand committee for trade had examined into feveral pira- cies, committed in the Eaft Indies, by one Captain Kidd and his "Journals. ^ Feb. 14. ^ Feb. 22. » Feb. 26. crew. King. I7TO. WILLIAM m. • 177 crew. On this examination It appeared, that William had inad- ** ^^^ ^' vertently made himfelf a kind of party in tlie affair, by figning a warrant, for the granting of pirates-goods to the Earl of Bella- mount and feveral others. The commons fent an addrefs to the throne, that Kidd, who was ordered home from America, fhould not be tried, difcharged, or pardoned, until the n-ext feiTion of parliament. This conduct in the houfe fhewed a diftrufl of the King, which raifed his refentment, as it hurt his pride. An en- quiry into the ftate of the commifTions of the peace and lieute- nancy, produced an addrefs *■, that was not grateful to the King, The houfe reprefcntcd, that to reflore gentlemen of quality and eftatestothefecommlffions, would much conduce to the good of the kingdom ; and they delired, that neither men of fmall eftates, nor diflenting from the church of England, fhould either be continued or appointed ". Thefe proceedings were more difguftful to the King, in their manner, than in themfelves repugnant to his authority or hurtful to his charadler. Though a majority of the lords fcemed to be In oppofition to They carry the meafures of WiWiam, the peers treated him with more com- j^akrhi'm plaifance than the commons. The complicated bill, compre- hending the refumption and fupply, met with great oppofition, in the upper houfe. Some had been gained by the fervants of the crown. Many difapproved of the precedent of tacking a ■foreign claufe to a money-bill, as reducing the peers to a fubfer- 'viency to the fadions and views of the commons. But the force of both parties, when joined, was not fufficient to rcjedl the bill. Amendments v/ere, however, made with regard to the Iii(h for- feitures. But thefe amendments were unanimoufly difapproved by the lower houfe. Conference fucceeded conference. The commons were in a ferment. They fpoke of impeaching the Earls of Portland and Albemarle. They fliut themfelves up, *" April I, ■: Journals, Vol. n. A a after 1700. n^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN; after the fecond conference with the lords, tUl ten at night; and" fcemcd determined on the harfhefl: means to force the court-party into compliance. In this important interval, the houfe refolved to addrefs the King, that no perfon, not a native of hh dominions,, except Prince George of Denmark, fhould be admitted to hifr councils either in England or Ireland ^ William vras not of a com- plexion to give a favourable anfwer, nor was he in a condition to refufe the demands of the exafperated commons. He fent a pri- vate meffage to his friends among the lords, to fufpcnd their op- pofitioa. The bill was immediately palTed, without amendments ; and to prevent the falling of the threatened ftorm, he came fud~ denly to the houfe, gave his affent to the a£t of refumption, and prorogued the parliament', without any fpeech from the throne. Affairs of the While William was harafled in one of his kingdoms, by a- pan/. Violent and luccelsrul oppolition m parliament, he was perplexed in another, by vehement inftances for redrefs. On the fourth of December 1699, the council-general of the Scotlili company, in- formed the fecretary of their nation in England, that they had: prevailed upon the Lord Bafil Hamilton> to make a journey to London, to addrefs the King, in behalf of more than thirty per- ibns, wrongfully detained prifoners at Carthagena, by the Spa- niards. William, feldom capable of concealing his refentment, exhibited it upon the prefent occafion,. in a manner unfuitable to his dignity. He ordered the chancellor of Scotland to acquaint the council-general, that he had refufed accefs to Lord Bafil Ha- milton, as he had not waited upon him when he was formerly in London; and that he had never fjnce given any public evidence of his loyalty '. He, however, promifed to demand, in the terms of treaties, the releafe of the prifoners at Carthagena. That it waSr. his firm intention to advance the trade of Scotland ; and that the fubjeds of that kingdom iliould enjoy the fame liberty of com- * April 10, * -A^pril 1 5. ' Chancelloi's Leiter to the Direftors. merce,, I7cb. WILLIAM IIL 179 ftiCTce, lliat others enjoyed in the Engllfli plantations. The ^ ^^ **• company, however, were refolvcd not to relinquifli their pnrpofe. They wrote to the chancellor. They fent a Jester to Lord Bafil Hamilton. They requefted the firfl; to ufe his bed endeavours for obtaining admittance for the noble perfon whom they had em- ployed. They approved of the condud of the latter; and afcrlbed their difappointment to a diflike to their own caufe, mor^ than to any objection entertained by the King againft his perfon ^ Embarrassed with complaints and teazed by entreaties, Wll- Oppofediij' Ham endeavoured to get rid of the Scots, with the fandiion of the Englifli parliament. The commons being fo refractory, the firft application was made to the lords. Neither the influence of the crown, nor the prejudices of the houfe, againft the new company, were capable of carrying the point againft the Scots, without vio- lent debates and long delays. An addrefs was, at length, feni down to the commons, for their concurrence. But the common* were not in the humour of being complaifant to the King. The ■enemies of William were pleafed to fee his affairs embroile^. Some apprehended, that there was a defign to involve the two kingdoms in a quarrel ; that the King might derive, from the necefiity of the nation, that increafe of the land forces, which had been fo often denied to his earneft folicitations to parliament. The leaders of oppofition were, by no means, inclined to remove the general difcontent which had foured the temper of the Scots, againft the King. The difaffedted members, in the mean time, propagated a report, that the oppofition of the King to the Scotifh company, proceeded neither from a regard to foreign treaties nor domeftic advantage, but from an affection for the Dutch, whofe trade along the Spanifh main was in danger of being ruined, by the cftablifhment of a hew colony at Darien \ The commons, upon the whole, refufed their concurrence to the addrefs ; and, foon * Letter to the Chancellor. '' Eurnet, vol. iii. A a 2 after. )8i> HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ Vv"* ^' ^^^^^j they rejcdted a bill fcnt down from the lords, for appointing commiflioners to treat with the Scots, conceraiiia; an union of ilie , V.Ul.ll.i.lUlIlg two kingdoms thrnamrof* '^"^ fcrmcnt continuing to rage in Scotland, the Marquis of the whole Tvvecdale prefcntcd a petition to William, in the name of the whole tioij. nation \ They recounted the hardlhips of the company, both at home and abroad, their own feelings upon a fubjeft fo melan- choly, and the promifes of the King to favour, protetSt, and fup- port the general trade of the kingdom. They requefted him to order the parliament to lit; as nothing could more cx)nduce to- the fupport of the credit and intercfl: of a companj;^. ii> wliofe misfortunes and profperity the wliole nation were concerned, thaa the nveeting o-f the reprefentatives of the peopfei They reminded him of his promife of permitting that aflembly to fit, whenever the good of the nation required that meafure; and they affbred him, that the good of the nation could,, at no time, require their, meeting more than on^ the prefent occafion. This irregular pe- tition produced nothing but an additional difappointment. The King made anfwer, that the parliament fhould not meet till the fourteenth of May. But that then it fhould meet for the difpatch ofbufinefs. The difeontents of the Scots were inflamed into a fpecies of madnefs, upon this frefh inftance of the King's difre- gard to their complaints. A general revolt might have been ap- prehended, had the power of the kingdom borne any proportion to the refentment of the people. The King TuouGH tlic Ivlug lud extricated himfelf from prefent ^ifguittd. trouble, by the fudden prorogation of the Engllih parliament, he was ftlH far from having freed himfelf from the ftorm, which had fl^.aken, in fome degree, his throne. His own conduft, during the fefllon, was more apt to inflame thaa to foothe the minds of ijoornals. ''March 2 j, ijoo*. tthoib ijco. WILLIAM III. i8i tTiofe h'f whom he was mod oppufcd. He made no ftcret of his ^ ^'^ '^ ^' tlifpleafure at the proceedings of the commons. He was at no pains to conceal his relohition to defeat the bill of refumptlon, hy refufmg his aflent Ihould it pafs the houfe of lords. He became fal- len, melancholy, and difcontcnted. His rcfentment broke forth frequently in a manner inconfillent with his prudence. He either- apprehended not the dangers, in which the votes of the commons might terminate; or he was not much concerned where they Kiightend '. He even feemed indifferent about poffefTing the name of King, after the authority, which he deemed to be inherent in that capacity, had vaniflicd from his hands ; and had not the fafety of thofe whom he favoured- mofl depended on his com- pliance, he would' not probably have fupprefled the rageagainft the commons, which his enemies hoped he was to have carried to extremity. They perceived, that fhould he quarrel wich the commons, he v/ould lofewhat flill remained of the affedions of his people. His going conftantly beyond fea, after every fefiioii of parliament, furnifhed his opponents with an opportunity of imprefling the minds of the nation with an opinion, that he even hated the company and fociety of his Englifli fubjefts-". The recefs of parliament, as it freed William from daily mcr- Achangela tificationsr encouraged him to endeavour to prevent the return of ^"^'"^ '^' the difagreeable meafures whicli had fo much difiurbed his repofe. He found that, in the courfo of the feffion, the commons, had exprefled great animofity againfl: his minifters, particularly againft the .lord chancellor, Somers, who was, the moft able of his fer- vants, and confidered as the head of the Whigs. Somers had gained a confiderable degree of the King's confidence, by his ability in bufmefs, and the modefly of his manner in tendering his advice.. William, however, refolved to difmifs him from his fervice, from the hopes which he had entertained* that a man difliked by the commons, would carry into his retreat all the ua- ;' Burnet, voL iii, •» Jbido . J popularity I'OO. «r8* HISTORY OP GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^/^ ^' popularity that had of late attended the meafures of the crown. When Seiners, who laboured under an illnefs during the win- ter, had recovei*ed health fufficient to appear at court, he was told by the King, that it was neceffary, for the public fervice, he fhould refign the feals. Somers excufed himfelf from making the delivery of the feals his own a£l; as that circumftance might be conftrued by his enemies, into either guilt or fear. The Earl of Jerfey was fent with a warrant, to demand the feals, in form ; and they were accordingly returned to the King. rharifterof SoMERs, though meanly defcended % rendered himfelf rcfpec- Soraers. table, by talents, which he knew well to improve to his own advantage. He was a man of abilities, in his profeflion ; but his parts were more folid than brilliant, or even clear. He was rather a good chancellor than a great ftatefman. His inte- grity and diligence in office, were, w^ith reafon, commended. He was too diffident, and too compliant with the King, to make any fplendid figure, beyond his own line of the law. His com- .plaifance to the King's humour, his flattering him in his very errors, his feeble manner of recommending what feemed right to his own judgment, bore more the appearance of a convenient, than of an able fervant. Upon the whole, he feemed more cal- culated to fmoothe the current of bufmefs, by amending and foften- ing meafures already adopted, than to propofe and execute thofe Spirited and manly expedients, which times of fad;ion feem to de- mand at the hands of a great minifter. The difficulty which William encountered in fupplying properly the place ° of Somers, argued that his difmiffion of that lord was a precipitate meafure ; while, at the fame time, he was juftly cenfured, for throwing a kind of difgrace on a fervant, who had ferved him with fidelity in perilous times. But the King had concluded, from the late oppofition to all his meafures, that the Tories only were capable «f cai-rying forward, with facility, the public bufinefs. » Swift's MS. notes on Macky. * May lo. y DuRINfi WILLIAM in. i?3 During the violent heats in parliament, William turned a ^ ^'-^ ^• part of his attention to the affairs of Europe. The negociations » , ' for the fecond partition of the dominions of Spain proceeded. But Second treat" a defire of perfuading the Emperor to enter into the fiime engage- o^P^"^"""! ments, long prevented the King and the States of Holland from ligning the treaty^ though the articles had been fettled. In the month of Odober, the Emperor, after various evafions, formally rejefted every treaty of partition whatfoever j yet neither the King of England nor the States fliewed any eagernefs to clofe with France, upon the difpofuion already agreed, with regard to theSpanifh fucceffion. In the beginning of January, in the prefent year, the King of Spain declined fo manifeftly, that hi& death was daily expeded. This circumftance haftened the conclufion of the treaty, which was figned at London, by the Earls of Portland and Jerfey, and the Comte de Tallard, on the twenty-firft of February; and at the Hague, on the fourteenth of March, by Briord, the French ambaflador, and by the plenipotentiaries of the States \ The fecond partition of the Spanlfh dominions differed mate- enncluded tetwccn rially from the difpofition made by the former treaty. The wiiiiam and Archduke Charles was placed in the room of the ele(!loral Prince of Bavaria, as heir of the kingdoms of Spain and the Indies. Naples, Sicily, the Marquifate of Final, the iflands on the Italian fhore, and the province of Guipufcoa, were to fall to the fliare of the Dauphin, together with the Duchies of Lorrain and Bar, which their native Prince was appointed to exchange for the ducJiy of Milan. In this fummary difpofal of territories and kingdoms, the King of England was not forgetful of his friend the Prince Vaudemont, to whom the country of Binche was to remain a fo- vereignty. To prevent the union of Spain and the Imperial crown, in the perfon of one Prince, provifion was made, that in » De Torcy, vol, i. cafe 1700. r^4 HISTORY OF l»"'ied. July; and on the fixth arrived at the Hague. The alliance formed againft Sweden began to fliew itfelf in the motions of the confederate powers. The Ruffians, Poles, and Saxons en- tered Livonia and Ingria. The Danes, led by the Duke of Wertcmberg, invaded Holftein ; and having feized fome incon- fiderable forts, fat down before Tonningen. The ftrength of the place, the conduct of the governor, the unfkilfulnefs of the be- fiegers, an unfuccefsful aflault, and the march of the troops of* Brunfwick-Lunenburgh, who had pafTed the Elb, induced the Danes to relinquifh their defigns on Tonningen, and to retreat towards their own frontiers. A combined fquadron of Eng- lifhand Dutchmen of war, with fire-fhips and bomb-vefTels, und6r the admirals Rooke and Allemonde, arrived, on the twentieth of July, at the mouth of the Sound '. The fleet of Sweden, com- manded by the king in perfon, having joined the allies, the Danifh fliips retired under the guns of Copenhagen. The King of Denmark was himfelf cooped up in Holftein, by fome Svvedifh frigates cruifmg along the coafl: ; while his capital was bom- barded, though ineffectually, by the combined fleets of the allies % His adlive fplrit fuggefted to the young King of Sweden, Denmark the means of putting an end, with one decifive ftroke, to the peace, war. He refolved to befiege Copenhagen by land, while the fleet blocked up that capital by fea. He fixed the place of his defcent at Humblebeck, oppofite to Landfcroon. He landed in perfon, the firft of all the Swedes. He drove to flight the enemy, who had attempted to defend the fhore. A deputation of the ■' June 27, "■ July 20. ' July 30- Vol. II. B b cicrgj- i86 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN, ^ ^v^ ^' ^^^^Sy ^"'l principal inhabitants, by a contribution of four hun- t— — u~-^ drcd thoufand rix-dollars, prevailed with Charles to fpare the city. Tlie King of Denmark was, in the mean time, reduced to a fftuation the moft critical. The troops of the houfe of Brunf- wick-Lunenburgh, prefled him on the fide of Holftein. His fleet was bcfieged in the harbour of Copenhagen. The enemy was in the heart of his dominions. He could derive no hopes but from fubmiffion and negociation. The Count de Chamilli, ambaflador of France, offered his own mediation, in the name of his mafter. The powers who had guaranteed the treaty of Altena, joined their good offices to thofe of Chamilli, for reftor- ing peace ; and, on the eighteenth of Auguft, a treaty was concluded at Travendal, between Denmark, Sweden, and Hol- ftein, to the exclufion of Ruffia and Poland. The terms were honourable for the Duke of Holftein, but humiliating to Den- mark. The firft was re-eftablifhed in all his claims ; whilft the latter was forced to pay to the Duke two hundred and fixty thoufand crowns, to indemnify him for the expence of the war '. Affairs of The fuddcn rcftoratlon of the tranquillity of the North, may Scotland. ^^ afcribed, in a great degree, to the decifive meafures of the King of England. But when . he was fecuring the peace of foreign nations, tumults, difcontents, and clamours prevailed in a part of his own dominions. On the twenty-firft of May, the parliament of Scotland had met at Edinburgh ; and the King's letter, containing the ufual excufe for not opening the feffion in perfon, being read, the Duke of Queenfberry, as lord- high-commiffioner, perceiving the bad humour of parliament, adjourned the houfe for three days. When they met, on the twenty-fourth, petitions, addrelTes, and reprefentations of parti- cular, as well as general grievances, were poured in upon them ' Hift. da Nord, torn. i. from WILLIAM III. 187 ii-om every fide. The council-general of the Indian and African ^ k a p. ^company, as they had fuffered moft, were the loudeft in their » * _j complaints. A motion was made, that the colony of Caledonia '^^°' in Darien was a legal and rightful fettlement ; and that the par- liament would maintain and fupport the fame. The commiffioner perceiving that this embarrafling vote was on the point of being carried, fuddenly adjourned the houfe for three days. This cir- cumftance added fuel to the flame. When the houfe met, they refumed their motion ; and the commifnoner again adjourned .them, for twenty days ". The condud of the commiffioner was confidered, by a great Parliament majority, as an arbitrary breach upon the freedom of voting in againft an parliament. They met that very evening, and figned a fpirited =^''J<'"'''>nient, addrefs to the King. They complained of their being interrupted in their debates, by an adjournment, contrary to an exprefs ad: of parliament ; wherein it was provided, that nothing fhould be done or commanded, that might, either diredly or indiredly, prevent the liberty of free voting and reafoning of the eftates of parliament. They affirmed, that the fecond adjournment was a manifeft infringement on the claim of rights, which had accom- panied the very ad that had placed the King on the throne. ' They concluded with intreating his Majefty to permit his parlia- ment to meet, on the day to which it was then adjourned ; and to fit as lohg as might be neceffiiry for redreffing the grievances of the nation. A deputation was fent with this addrefs to the King. He declared " that he could give no anfwer at the time to their petition ; but that they fhould know his intentions in Scotland. The parliament, was, in the mean time, further adjourned by proclamation. Though the Earl of Sealield, and other fervants of the A general •Crotvn, had been, for a whole year, employed in gaining, with ' May 30. '• June 11. B b 9 promifes *58S HISTORY or GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, promifes and penfions, the members of the Scotifh parliament K . - I the clamours of the people made more profelytes, than the bribes *^°°' employed by the King, The current ran rapidly in one way; whilft the difaffedled added their own force to the violence of the ftream. The general cry was, that the freedom of debate was moft effedually ruined, the claim of right invaded, and a private power ufurped over the parliament. The King, they juftly obfcrved, affumed more than a negative by thefe unconftitutional adjournments. A bill is defeated by the firft. By the latter, the right of giving advice, one of the great ends of all parliaments, is utterly prevented and overturned. In this difpofition of the people in general, the lower fort became outrageous. Upon fome vague intelligence received at Edinburgh, of an advantage gained by their countrymen at Darien, over the Spaniards, the popu- lace committed every fpecies of excefs and infult againfl: the officers of the government. The King was, not unjuftly, deemed a party againfl the African company ; and his name was treated with indecency, and his authority with contempt. A national addrefs was, in the mean time, encouraged on every fide ; and tranfmittcd to every borough and county for fignatures and names. Violence of ^o add to the general ferment, advices arrived from Spaii>, the dilcon- • t-v • i i i r tented. that feveral of the adventurers m Danen, had been fent to that country and condemned as pyrates. That the chief proofs- . brought againfl them, were the proclamations of the governors of the Englilh colonies, by the exprefs commands of the King, containing a formal difavowal of the legality of the fettlementj together with words, difclaiming the undertaking of the Scots, cxprefTed by William himfelf to the Spanifh ambalTador; and tranfmitted, in writing, by that minifler to the council of the Indies. In the midfl of the clamours raifed upon this frefh intel- ligence, William endeavoured, in vain, to foothe the Scot« into fome temper, by a letter to the Duke of Queenlljerry. The national MIA WILLIAM m. idp national flame continued to Increafe. The difcontented mem- ^ *^ ^ P. bers talked of fitting by force, and of forming themfelves into a 1700. convention. Tiiey even aflirmed, that the army was ready to join their caufe againfl: a government, which, by denying pro- tedion, had no right to obedience. That they wanted nothing but money to declare the throne vacant ; to reftore the late King, or to confer the crown on fome other Prince, more inclined than the prefent, to fupport the juft claims of the nation \ These difcontents, fb favourable to his views, were not Inaaivi'tyof capable of rouzing the late King, from the lethargy into which * * ^ '"^' he had fallen, ever fmce the treaty of Rifwick. Rendered care- lefs by misfortunes, weighed down with years, and unmanned by his own religious enthufiafm, he had refigned every expeda- tioa of regaining his crowns. To the refohuion of tranfporting himfelf into England, he feems to have ftill adhered, had Wil- liam, as was generally apprehended, yielded to the diforders tliat had long thi-eatened his diflblutlon. But though, he had refigned all hopes, with regard to himfelf, James never doubted but his fon would, one day, recover the crowns which he himfelf had loil. He thought that the objedions to himfelf, proceeded either from the views of a few leading men, or the terrors of the popu- lace, who were animated with an enthufiafm fimilar to his own. . He deemed the lineal fucceCion fo eflential, and even neceflary to monarchy, that things muft, in courfe, fall back to their old channel, when the terrors of his own return, and the preflure of William's ambition, were both removed from the nation/. The death of the only fon of his daughter, the Princefs of Death of the Denmark, and the only perfon, after her Royal Highnefs, in- Cklifc^ikr. eluded in the new fettlement of the crown, feemed to favour the ^ Manchefler's Correfpondence, Cole's coll. X Contin. of James JI.'s Memoirs, MS. expedations ■1 , oo. ^g^* HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ %^ ^' f-' Ibid, C of 1700. 192 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. of the crown, all the dominions of Spain muft have fallen in- to the hands of the Emperor, the hereditary rival of the power of his family. The very courier that brought the will to France, had been ordered,- in cafe of the refufal of that court, to proceed to Vienna, with a tender of the throne to the Archduke. This circumftance would have again revived the power poflcfled, by the houfe of Auftria, in the days of Charles the Fifth, when the united weight of Spain and the empire had almofl: proved fatal to the French monarchy. Thefe reafons coinciding with the ambi- tion of Lewis, he flattered himfelf, that the war, which muft otherwife have been kindled in Europe, was leaft to be dreaded on the grounds which he now had chofen. The refolution adopted for accepting the will in France, was followed by the precaution of forming alliances abroad. Lewis entered into a treaty with the King of Portugal, with the Dukes of Savoy and Mantua. The latter of thefe Princes received a French garrifon into his capital. The allies of France, on the fide of Germany, were the Duke of Brunfwick Wolfembuttle, the Duke of Saxe-Gotha, and the Bifliop of Munfter. The Eledor of Bavaria, then governor of the Ne- therlands, and his brother the Eledtor of Cologn, were uncles to the new King of Spain, and refolved to maintain his right to the crown*. Refentment Th e King of England and the States of the United Provinces jor. affeded to be highly offended, at the breach made by Lewis the Four- teenth on the fecond treaty of partition. But they were in no condi- tion to fupport, at prefent, their refentment with any decifive mea- fure. They obferved, therefore, a cautious filence; while the Em- peror, poffeffed of lefs power of revenge than either, made a great deal of noife ''. Perplexed and rendered undecifi ve by his difappoint- ments, Leopold was, for fome time, uncertain what meafures he fhould adopt to poffefs himfelf of an objed, of which he had been " De Torcy, toui. i. * Stanhope to Manchefter, Dec. lo. unexpededly -4 «70'« WILLIAM III. tgi unexpectedly deprived. He, at length, fixed on the Mliancfe, which he claimed as a fief of the empire. On the twenty-fecond of November, he iflued his mandate to the inhabitants of that duchy, which they were to obey on pain of being confidered as rebels. This refolution was more calculated to raife the ridicule than the terror of the houfe of Eourbon, on that fide. He was in want of every refource of war. Without money at home, with- out alliances abroad ; and as irrefolute in his condud, as he wa« deilitute of power and full of pride". But though the French King had nothing immediately to fear WilHam Jif- . . . pofcd to pte- from the refentment of the Emperor, his own precautions againfl ferve a gfod a war haftened its approach. During thefe tranfaclions, one ingTvith Schonenburgh, a Flemifh Jew, refided at Madrid, in the double Sf*'"- capacity of agent for England and the States of Holland, The chief view of William, being to preferve the barrier in Flanders, in the hands of the Dutch, and to prevent the Netherlands from being annexed to the crown of France, he ordered Schonenburgh to fignify to the regency, his earneft defire of living on the foot- ing of their former amity with the court of Spain ; and to infi- nuate, at the fame time, his expectations, that the barrier in Flan- ders fhould be preferved in its prefent form. The regency, or, as they were called, the Junto, had abandoned the fate of Spain to the arbitration of France. They knew the weaknefs of the Spa- nifli dominions in all quarters, and the utter inability of the king- dom to defend itfelf on any fide. They, therefore, requefted the French King to accept, in a manner, of the generalfhip of their monarchy. They commanded the viceroys of the provinces to obey his orders ; and under the pretence, that the States were making preparations for war, they impowered the court of France to take poflefTion of the barrier in Flanders, with French troops ^ Though William might have been jealous of proceedings contrary ' Stanhope to ^Jancheller, Manchefl«r to \'ernon, Dec. iS, *' Jan. 5, 1701. VOL. II. C C to 170!. 194 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN: ^ ^\r' ^'l ^° ^^^^ principles which ho had long avowed, he waainduced, for various reafons, not only to acquieP:e at prcfent, in the forward mcafurcs of Fiance, but, afterwards, even to acknowledge the Duke of Anjou as lawful foycreigu of Spain'. faf's^at^'^" '^"^ untoward fituation of the King's affairs at home, had hoa\:. greatly contributed to his prefent want of decifion abroad. The refradlorinefs of the lafl; feffion of parliament, their fuppofed in- fults to his perfon, and adtual oppofition to the crown, had con- vinced William, that eilher he muft change his fervants or his meafures. The firfl fuited beft his temper. He had removed the chancellor before his departure for Holland. The death of Lord Lonfdale, in the month of July, had made a vacancy in the cfEce of privy-feal. The department in the fecretary's office had been long vacant. The King took advantage of thefe cir- cumflanccs to gratify the Tories, who he deemed could ferve beft the meafures of the crown, without offending, by difplacing, the Whigs. The Earl of Tankerville, removed into the office of privy-feal, gave room at the head of the treafury to the Lord Godolphin '. Sir Charles Hedges was taken from the board of admiralty and made fecretary of ftate*^. The Earl of Rochefter» confidered as a leader of the Tories and high-church party, was nominated in council, lord-lieutenant of Ireland. Montagu, who- had fufFered a degree of ignominy in the houfe of commons^ through his own indifcretion, v^ras removed, by the title of Lord Halifax, into the houfe of lords ^ The King manifeftly trimmed between the two parties. He hoped to divide the Whigs, by retaining forae of them in office. He expe^Hied t« foften the op- pofition of the Tories, by admitting a few of their leaders into the vacant departments of the miniftry. TKe Scot'lh While the King was makinn: preparations for meeting the new parliament . . r^,, , • • • r, ■ €- leconciled. reprelentatives of England, on good terms, his miniuers in ocot- • April 17, 'Dec. 12, 17CO. E Nov. 7. ^ Dec. 4. land I70I. WILLIAM l\l T95 ^and were employed, in reconciling the parliament of that king- ^ "^j /^ ^' dom to the views of the crown. The national addrefs, for the meeting of parliament, which had been promoted with fuch eager- nefs by the difcontented, was defeated by the King's ordering that aflembly to meet before the addrefs was prefented. On the twenty-eighth of October, the parliament met accordingly; and the King's letter was, in every refpeflt, vv-ell calculated to allay the ferment, which had fo long prevailed in the nation. It was conceived in the mofi: foft and infinuating terms. The King promifcd his refolution to give his aiTent to all ads for the better eftablifhlng the government of the church, the fecurity of pcr- fonal liberty, and more cfpecially for repairing the lofies and pro- moting the interefl; of the African and Indian companies. He laid the want of proteftion, which they had experienced before, on the neceffity impofed upon himfelf by the ftate of Europe. But as that fcate v/as now changed, he was determined to fupport to the utmoil their rights and their claims. Though this conde- fcending expedient had, at firft, no vifible cfFed on the indignant humour of the Scots, yet, by the concurrence of fecretpradtices on the members, it contributed tofooth, at laft, the parliament into a per- fed compliance with the views of the crown. The longer the fefiion continued the- more ground was gained by the mlniftry ; till, at length, in the month of January, the ftorm, which threa- tened the repofe of Britain, was entirely laid. On the fixth of February, the new parliament met at Weft- Anew p.-i-- minfter, but, under the pretence of riving tim.e to the m.embers to J'^""^"'^ '" t- o a England. arrive in town, they were adjourned to the tenth of the fame month. The commons having prefented Mr. Harley, whom they had chofen for their fpeaker, the King made a fpcech to both houfes, from the throne. He told th.cm, that the great misfor- tune of the nation, in the death of the Duke of Gloucefler, had- rcndered it abfolutely neccflary to make a further provifion for C c 3 the 19^ HISTORY OF GRl-AT BRITAIN. the fucceffion in the protcflant line. He earneflly recommended that meafure to their earlieft care, as the happinefs of the nation and the fecurity of rehgion, depended on an immediate and pro- per fettlement of the crown. The death of the King of Spain, hj faid, and the declaration of hia fucceflTor, had made fo great aa alteration in foreign affairs, that he defired the parliament to confider' very maturely their prefent flate ; and that he doubted not, hut their refolutions would conduce to the intereft and fafety of England, the prefervation of the Proteftant religion, and tho peace of all Europe. Thcfe things, he continued, were of fuch weight, that he had called a new parliament, to obtain the mora Immediate fenfeof the kingdom in fuch an important conjundurc. He recommended to the commons to provide for the late deficien* cies and the unfunded debts, to infpedt the ftate and augment the ftrength of the navy, and to deliberate on the regulation and improvement of trade.. Mutual an-i- The animofitics of parties, the profpe(n of advantage, which the'whi°s arofe to the members of the lower houfe, from the very misfor- and lories, tunes of their conftituents; and above all, the importance, which the commons had lately acquired by their fuccefsful oppofition to the crown, had rendered feats in parliament uncommon objeds of conteft, during the late ele£lions. Bribery and corruption, perhaps- never abfent entirely from fueh occafions, had arrived at a pitch, too indecent to be overlooked, had even thofe, who were rivals for the fuffrages of the people, been lefs inflamed againft one ano- ther's conduct. The flrft care of the commons, as is ufual in new, parliaments, was turned" to undue elections. But the matter of right was decided by favour more than by its merit ; every dif- pute becoming rather a tr'al of the force of parties than the ob- je£t of impartial decifion. The Tories having difcovered thelr- fiiperiority, by the eledion of a fpeaker of their own party, are faid to have ufed their power in a manner lefs fultable to juftice, than C H A B. JV. ..WILLIAM iir. reiH 197 tJian to their own prejudices againfl: the Whigs ; and to have, thus, weakened flill more their opponents, by depriving manyof them of their feats in the houfe. But the charge of injuftice '^°'' might probably have been, transferred to the other fide, had their power equalled their animofity againft their rivais. The pafr- fions of all being inflamed by thefe contefts, the great bufinefs recommended by the King v/as, for fome days, either entirely for- gotten, or commanded only the fecondary care of the commons'- Notwithstanding this feeming inattention to the bufinefi of Steps towaiH the nation, the parliament had not yet difcovered any part of that animofity, which their predeceffors had exhibited againfl; the King. On the fourteenth of February, they refolved to aflure his Majefl;y, that they would fupport his government, and take fuch efi'edlual meafures as might beft; conduce to the interefl: and fafety of England, the prefervation of the Proteftant religion, and the peace of Europe. Tliough the King in fecret wifhed, and had pro- bably determined, when circumftances ihould arife, to quarrel with. France, for departing from the fecond treaty of partition, he durft" not avow his inclinations for a war, upon a foundation univerfally unpopular. He, however, took advantage of the general afTurances- made by the commons, and, with his anfwer to their addrefsjlaid- before them a- memorial, which he received from the envoy-extra-r ordinary of the States of Holland* This memorial, fabricated, perhaps, inconjundion with. William himfelf, contained furmifes of the hoftlle dllpofitlon of Fr-ance, by the motions of. her troops on the fide of Flanders, together with the eventual- requifition of the fuccours from England ftipulated by treaty. The King demanded the advice of his commons, on the firll part of the me- morial ; and, as to the latter,. he defired their afllftance '', On the fifteenth of February, the commons^ with a view to the t-reaty of partition, had addreffed the King, to lay before them all. 'ijoornajj., * F<;b. 17.. the. ea2crfor ij' tgS HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, the treaties concluded between his Majefty and any other Prince U-— »/.^.~j or (late, fmce the late war. But when they received the anfwer '^'^'' to their general addrefs, they demanded the treaty between Eng- land and the States, figned on the third of March 1677, together with all the renewals of the treaty fince that period. The King complied, and the houfe addreffed him on the twentieth of Feb- ruary', to enter into fuch negociations, in concert with the States and other potentates, as might conduce to the prefervation of the peace of Europe. They afTured him, at the fame time, of their fupportand afliflance, for the performance of the treaty concluded in the year 1677, between England and the States of the United Provinces. William fcized, with eagernefs, the general afiurances made in this addrefs. He thanked the commons in terms expref- five of his approbation of their condudl; and he feems, though his defigns were then unknown, to have ufed great addrefs in recon- ciling the nation, by degrees, to a war. VelfortMet- Tq fecurc thc affiftance of parliament, by exciting their fears ' ter before *■ , ' " th^houfes. from France, the King had communicated a few days before, an intercepted letter from the Earl of Melfort to his brother the Earl of Perth, concerning fome wild and exploded proje6ls for replacing James again on the throne. Melfort having incurred the dlflike of the adherents of the late King, on account of his violence and abfurdity, had been difmified from the fervice of that Prince, fames was now direded in his councils by the Earl of Middleton, a man of moderate principles in politics, a proteftant in his reli- gion, and poflefling confiderable abilities in bufmefs. The letter, alluding chiefly to pafl: tranfadion'S, contained no material infor- mation. Though the lords deemed it worthy of an addrefs to ■the King, the commons, with more dignity, paffed it over with the contempt it deferved. They, however, refolved, upon other confiderations, to place the navy on a refpedable footing. They ' Teb. 20. voted W r L, L T A M in. 199 voted 'unanimoufly "', that fucli perfons as fhould advance five hun- dred thoufaad pounds for the Krvice of the fleet, fliould receive fix per cent, iatercft, and be repaid the principal out of the firft aid to be granted in the prefent feffion. They alfo refolved, on the twenty.-fixth of February, that thirty thoufand men fhould be employed in the fervicc of the year ". Though the fettlement of the crown was a matter of the Settlement of : iitmofl: importance to the nation, the lov\'cr houfe were neither early in their attention to that bufinefs, nor expeditious in bring- ing it to a conclufion. On the third of March, the commons refolved, that to preferve the peace and happinefs of the king- dom, and to fecure the eftabliflied religion, there was an abfolute neceffity for making a frefh declaration of the limitation of the crown in the Proteftant fucceffion; and that provifion fhould be made for the fecurity of the rights and liberties of the fubjcd '^„ The latter part of the refolution was fuggefted by the Tories, who had been uniformly accufed by their rivals of high principles of monarchy. They affirmed, that the nation was in fo much hafle • wheri they fettled the prefent government, that many fecurities • were overlooked, which might have prevented much mifchief. They therefore moved, that the conditions of government fliould be fettled before the perfon fliould be nominated, left what really was meant for the good of the fubje-il;, fhould be afcribed to any diflike to the Prince on whom the cledioii fliould fall.' This • falutary expedient was conflrued by the Whigs into a-defign of • defeating the meafure, by protrading the bufinefs.- But the motion was fo popular in itfelf, and fo confonant to the prin- ciples which they themfelves profefied, that they could not oppofe • it, though it came from their political enemies. . In a committee of the whole houfe, the commons came to Articles for further important refolutions, which were reported; and, with oHhrfub!^ Feb. ig.. [■ Feb. 26, f March 5. a few jea. 200 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ *iv^ ^' ^ ^^^ amendments, approved, on the twelfth of March. They V- — ^-^ refolved, that all affairs, with regard to government, cognizable ' * in the privy council, fhould be tranfaded there, and figned by the members. That no perfon whatfoever, not a native of Eng- land, Scotland, or Ireland, or dominions belonging to thefe king- doms, or who was not born of Engllfh parents beyond feas, though fuch perfon is naturalized, fhould be capable of receiving any grant from the Crown, or ofEce under the King. That in the event of the crown's dcfcending or being transferred to a foreigner, the Englifli nation fliould not be obliged, without the confent of parliament, to enter into any war, for the defence of territories not depending on the crown of England. That who- ibever fliould come to the pofleflion of the throne, fhould join in communion with the church of England. That no pardon fhould be pleadable to any impeachment in parliament ^ The Princefo To thefe votes they added others, which feemed to refled on pb^ce'cf in the the reigning Prince, while they provided fecurities againft his iacceSion, fucceffors in the throne. They refolved that no 'perfon who fkould hereafter come to the croAvn, fhould go out of the domi- nions of England, Scotland, or Ireland, without the confent of parliament. That no perfon who fhould poffefs an ofhce under the King, or receive a penfion from the Crown, fliould be capable of ferving in the houfe of commons. That the commifTions of the judges fliould be rendered permanent, and their falaries afcer- talncd and eftablifhed. That the Princefs Sophia, Duchefs- Dowager of Hanover, fhould be declared the next in fuccefTion to the crown of England, after the reigning King, the Princefs of Denm.ark, and the heirs of their refpedive bodies. That the further limitation of the crown fhould be reftrided to the Princefs Sophia aad the heirs of her body, being Proteflants ; and that, upon thefe refolutlons, a bill fhould be brought in before the hav.k ^ The bill was accordingly prefcnted, by Mr. Conyers, p M^ixh 12. ' Ibid. on WILLIAM m. 20I on the laft day of March ; and though it met with obftrudion, ^ ^^ ^ p. from various incidents, it palled, on the fourteenth of April, and was fent up to the lords '. 17C1. The Princefs Sophia, thus eventually eleifted to fucceed to the '^ ''^^ '''"''• *■ ' _ tefiant near- throne of England, was the ncareft perfon of the royal line, who eit to the crown* ■was not already under a legal incapacity of pofTefling the crown. An exprefs a£t of parliament had excluded all Roman Catholics from the fucceffion ; and all the defcendants of Charles the Firft, except William and the Princefs of Denmark, were of the Popifti perfuafion. The parliament, therefore, were obliged to return to the poflerity of James the Firft in another line ; and to Sophia, as grand-daughter to that Prince, by his daughter Elizabeth, who had been married to the unfortunate King of Bohemia. Though the fame power which conferred on the Princefs the fucceffion of the crown, might, with equal juftice, have placed any other perfon on the throne, the parliament chofe to adhere, in fome degree, to the royal blood, as committing the leall outrage on monarchy, to which a majority of themfelves were attached from principle. A different condudl might, for a time, have deprived the ele£led Sovereign of the reverence which moft men, born under monarchies, pay to the hereditary line. But the influence arifing from the difpofal of an immenfe revenue, had, even then, placed the power of the Sovereign on a much more folid founda- tion, than the feeble prerogative derived, by hereditary princes, from the opinion of the people. This confideration had certainly its weight with the prefent Refleftions, parliament, in limiting the force of the executive power, in the ■ fettlement of the fucceffion. As the crown which they conferred was a voluntary gift, they had a right, if they chofe, to deprive It of its unneceffary ornaments, and even of fome of its jewels. ' Journals, April 14. Vol. IL Dd But 202 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. IV. » . ' 1701. But power had turned into another channel ; and the mounds which were reared, became, in a manner, ufelefs, as the waters ceafed to rife on that fide. The Crown was deftined, from the very exertions made by the people againft its exorbitant claims, to acquire in influence, what it loft in prerogative. Authority, by thefe means, loft gradually its terrors and its infolencc. Power had ceafed to be fplendid; but it became permanent and irre- firtible : and mankind may be imperceptibly furroundcd with the toils of defpotlfm, while they have the vanity to think themfelves free. Proceedings of parlia- ment. The parliament having placed the important bufmefs of the fucceffion in a way of being fecured, began to inquire into domeftic mifmanagements, and the condud of the Crown, with regard to foreign powers. They had already provided for the credit of the nation. They had placed the navy on a formidable footing, by granting large fupplies. It, however, had been evident, that the King wiflied leaft for their affiftance in the latter line. But the majority feemed by no means willing to gratify their Sovereign, in the point of an immediate increafe of the land-forces of the kingdom. In their meafures confequent upon the refolutlon of adhering to the treaty with the Dutch in 1677, the commons made a fhew of aiding the King, without offending the nation. They refolved, that twelve battalions, then in Ireland, fhould be made up, Avith new levies, to ten thoufand men ; and fent to the aid of the States. But triey, at the fame time, refolved, that no new levies fhould be made, in Ireland or elfewhere, to fupply the twelve battalions now to be tranfported beyond feas '. Lords addrefs againft the partition treaties. The prefent dlftruft of the King, was followed by animadver- fions on his former condudt. The lords, having addreffed the Journals of the commons. throne, WILLIAM III. 203 throne, for the late treaties, thefe, together v/nh other important ^ ^^^ ^■ papers, were laid before them, about the middle of March. Having, ' ~ -.- -^ in a committee of the whole houfe, examined the treaties of partition, they agreed upon an addrefs, containing bitter reflec- tions on their tendency. They com.plaincd, that the laft treaty with the French King, had been huddled up without being laid before parliament, though then actually fitting ; and even with- out being confidered in council ; circumftances as unjufl: in their natui-e, as the meafures themfelves were fatal in their confe- quences. They infmuated, that the treaty had probably been the caufe of the will in favour of the Duke of Anjou. That the ceflTion of Sicily, Naples, feveral ports in the Mediterranean, the province of Guipufcoa, and the duchy of Lorrain, as ftipulated> in favour of France, by the laft treaty, was contrary to the pre- tence of the treaty itfelf ; the profefled objeft of which was, the peace and fafety of Europe. They requefted his Majefly to require and admit, for the future, in all matters of importance, the advice of his natural born fubjefts ; and, for that purpofe, to conftitute a council, to whom all fuch foreign and domeftic affairs as concerned either his Majefty or his dominions, might be referred '. The King's anfwer was moderate and prudent. It contained a brief evafion, conceived in handfome terms. He owned, that the addrefs contained a matter of very great moment; and that he would take care, that all treaties he might conclude, fhould be for the honour and fafety of England ". The King having perceived, at the beginning of the feflion, r^^^ Kino'» that the current of parliament was likely to fet powerfully againft P'U'ien' ma- '■ ■' _ * ^ > The voice of a divinity could not have made a greater impreC- Who is de- fion on the unfortunate fervants of James, who were all prefent, of^Grea'"^ than this unexpedcd declaration from the French King. They f"/^' j ^"* burft at once into a murmur of applaufe, which feemed to be tindured with a mixture of grief and joy. Some thew them- felves, in filence, at his feet. Others wept aloud. All feemed to be fo much afFeded, that Lewis himfelf was melted into tears. James, in a kind of extacy, half-raifed himfelf on the bed, and endeavoured to fpeak. But the confufed noife was fo great, and he fo weak, that his voice could not be heard. The King him- felf, as if unable longer to bear this melancholy fcene, retired. But, as he paffed through the court of the palace, he called the officer of the guard, and ordered him to treat the young Prince as King, whenever his father fhould expire °. Though James fur- vived this declaratioa but one day, he fcnt the Earl of Middleton to Marli to thank his moft Chriftiaa Majefty for his kindnefs ta himfelf and hi& promifed protection ta his family. Upon his » Continualon of the Life of James IL * Ibid« death, 2X6 HISTORY OF GREAT- BRITAIN. 1701. CHAP, death, his fon was acknowledged by the court and the nation. Lewis himfelf vifited him in form, and treated him with the name ■of Majefty. But the adherents of the nominal King, chofe not to proclaim him with the ufual folemnity, not knowing how the title of France would be taken by that Prince, who was the only fupport of his caufe ^ Preparations for war. Though the Marquis de Torcy, in the name of Lewis, endea- voured to convince the Englifli ambaflador, the Earl of Man- chefter, that this tranfadion was no infringement on the treaty of Rifwick, the infult to William was too flagrant to be borne with patience. He accordingly recalled his ambaflador from the court of France; and fent diredions to the lords juftices to order Pouffin, the French envoy, to quit England. Preparations for war were, in the mean time, made on every fide. The King of Denmark ordered the troops flipulated by the treaty of fubfidy, to march through Holftein and Hannover toward Flanders. The Dutch entered Juliers, with a confiderable force. The French poiTefl'ed themfelves of the towns on the Rhine, as auxiliaries to the circle of Burgundy. Nothing but the mere form of a declaration was now wanting to conftitute a war. The King of England having determined to take the field early in the fpring, fettled with the United Provinces, in the capacity of Stadtholder, the ftate of the ■war, for the following year. He was prefled, in the mean time, by the Emperor to break immediately with France. But he had lately fufFered fo much from the refradlorinefs of the Englifli commons, that he prudently declined to enter upon hoftilitics, without their approbation and aid. King de- But the feeble conftltution of William was now become 'heahh"and Unequal to the great exertions of his mind. Worn out with vexa- returns. jjon, as wcU as with the vigilance neceflary for the management .lit: P ManeheHer to Blathwaytet of ryoi. WILLIAM lU. 217 t)f the affairs of a nation, who, am id ft all their profeffions of ^ ^^^ ^' regard, were, in a great meafure, averfe from his manner of governing, his health never fettled and vigorous, had long begun apparently to decline. The weak ftate to which he was now reduced, had rendered him almoft invifible at Loo; while he was in faO. the center round which the affairs of Europe turned. But, now, the alliance into which he had entered, and the mea- fures, in confequence, he was forced to adopt, rendered his prefence neceffary in England. Having brought to great for- wardnefs, a perpetual alliance between the Engllfh and the Dutch, for the recovery and prefervation of Flanders, he em- barked, on the fourteenth of November, and landed, the next day, at Margate. In England, during the King's abfence, nothing remarkable happened, except the ferment which the tranfadions of the preceding feifion had raifed between the par- ties. Having carried their contefts into the prefs, the people, as is ufual, when their pafTions are inflamed, were vehemently agitated between the arguments and declamations of the two great parties, the Whigs and the Tories ^ The Whigs, however, more aftive or more determined than Conteft? he- their opponents, had the addrefs to turn the opinions of the people to forward their own defigns. The declaration of the French King, for the title of the Prince of Wales, was an incident too favourable to their views, to be dropt without being ufed. The vulgar were eafily perfuaded, that thofe who oppofed the meafures of the Crown in parliament, were enemies to the King ; and they were loud in their complaints againfl the proceedings and conduifl of the houfe of commons. The feverity of that alTembly to the Kentifh petitioners, their contefts with the lords, their animadverfions on the foreign tranfadions of government were magnified, and ' Publications of the times. Vol. II. F f introduced 1701, 2i8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^fwA ^' introduced as proofs of their attachment to the exiled family. The late fettlement of the crown in the Proteftant line, the limi- tations, highly favourable to the liberties of the people, impofed upon the eventual fucceflion of a foreign family, were either eii- tirely forgot or totally mifreprefented. AddreiTes to William, upon the infult offered by France, were tranfmitted to him in Holland. Flattery, abfurdity, and folly, as is ufual, abounded in thefe ua- meaning produdions. But they ferved the purpofe of the King, who had relblved to meet no more a parliament, that had already fhewn fo much averiion to the war in which he was now irreca- verably engaged. Affairs of the Qn the thirteenth of November, the parliament was diflbived', by proclamation ; and writs were ilTued for another to meet, at Weftminfter, on the thirtieth of December. The contefts ufual in all elections, were carried to a height proportionable to the violence and animofity of parties ading on the prejudices of the vulgar. Noife and tumult filled every corner of England, while every State in the North and Well of Europe were indefatigably pre- paring to take arms. The kingdoms of the Eaft were ftill engaged In the war which Charles the Twelfth of Sweden had kindled, in the preceding year, to fruftrate the unjufl: combination of hi* neighbours againft his kingdom. The defeat of the Ruffians, la the battle of Narva, had rendered that adive and gallant Prince, a conqueror the more formidable, that he feemed eager with new exploits to eclipfe the glory of the old. His vidories in Poland were as i-apid as the march of his troops. The Ruffians were every where routed, as foon as feen ; and the King himfelf, having pafTed the Duna, in the fight of the enemy, and totally defeated the Sajcons, formed, at Birzen, the refolutioa of depriv- ing King Auguftus of the throne of Poland ''. « Hift. du Nord, torn, ii. The 7or. WILLIAM III. 219 The new parliament met, on the tKirtieth of* December ; and the'commons, from their firll; meafure, feemed to have brought into their houfe, all the animolities which had inflamed their a new" par- con (lituents during the eledion. But though every art had been ''^"""*'* ufed by the V/higs, and fcveral Tories had, in confequence, been deprived of their former feats, the latter feemed ftill to form a majority. The firfl; trial of the force of the parties, was made in the choice of a fpeaker. Sir Thomas Littleton, nominated by the Whigs, was reje£led, on a divifion ; and Harley, abetted by the Tories, was placed in the chair'. The King, who favoured Littleton, was deferted in the vote, by fuch Tories as were in his fervlce. They preferred the influence of their party, to the countenance of a Prince, whofe reign was apparently drawing to its end. Their condu'ft, however, had already been fo much refented by the King, that he refolved to place his whole confi- dence in the Whigs. He difmiffed Sir Charles Hedges from the office of fecretary of flate ; in which the Earl of Manchefler, lately returned from his embafly in France, was placed. The Earl of Carlifle fupplanted the Lord Godolphin, at the head of the treafury. The Earl of Pembroke, fuppofed to be a Whig though, he had adlually correfponded with King James ', was foon after made lord high-admiral of England; and the Duke of Somerfet, not much more averfe to the old caufe, fucceeded Pem- broke as prefident of the council. ^''T'he commons having prefented their fpeaker, the King made King's a fpeech to both houfes from the throne. He promifed himfelf» ^^^'^ ' he faid, that they were met together full of a juft fenfe of the danger of Europe, and a high refentment of the late proceeding of the French King. He expatiated upon the indignity offered to himfelf and the nation, in owning and fetting up the pre- tended Prince of Wales as King of England; and he recom- • 2i6 againft 212. 'Stuart-papers. F f 2 mended 220 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. i;oi. mended to them to confider, what further cfFedlual means might be ufed, to fecure the fucceflion of the crown in the Proteftant line. He complained, that the French King, by placing his grandfon on the throne of Spain, had furnifhed himfelf with the means of opprefling Europe; and that he had furrounded his neighbours in fuch a manner, that though the name of peace had ftill continued, other States were put to all the inconvenience and expence of war. He enlarged on what England had to fear from the power of the houfe of Bourbon ; and he informed the houfes, that to obviate the general calamity which threatened Chriften- dom, he had concluded feveral alliances, according to the encou— r ragement given him by both houfes of parliament. He told them, that the eyes of Europe were turned toward their delibe- rations ; and that every thing abroad was at a ftand till their refolutions fliould be known. Having flattered them with their importance, he demanded fupplies from the commons for a great ftrength at fea, and fuch a ilrength by land, as were expected, from the late alliance, by the allies. He concluded his fpeech with various arguments for their unanimity; and he hoped, as- he himfelf was defirous of being the common father of all his people, they would, on their fide, lay afide parties, divifions, and animofities '. J702. Proceedings of pailia- ment. Though the two houfes were, as much as ever, divided into parties, fuch was the management of the King, and the difpo- fition of the times, that they vied with one another to forv\'ard the ends propofed in his Majefty's fpeech. The lords addreiTed the King in the warmeft and moft affedlionate terms. The com- mons, without one diflenting voice, voted the fupply. Inftead of being offended at the treaty which was to engage the nation in an immediate war, they addreffed the throne, that no peace fhould be made with France, till reparation Ihould be made to the King journals, Dec 51, and WILLIAM IIL 221 and the nation, for her owning and declaring the pretended Prince of Wales King of England ". On the fecond of January, they brought in a bill for the attainder of that Prince. They introduced another bill, on the ninth, for the further fecurity of his Majefty's perfon, and the fuccefTion of tlie crown in the Pro- teftant line ". The next day, they refolved, that the proportion of land-forces, to adl in conjunction with the allie?, fhould, in terms of the treaty, be forty thoufand men. They voted forty thoufand feamen for the fervice of the year. But when the com- mons thus gratified the King^ they were not negligent in. their duty to their conftituents. They regulated the number of fol- diers to be employed in every regiment of foot and troop ■ of horfe. They examined, with great exadnefs, the flate and con- dition of the navy. The animofity of parties feemed to be loft in an attention to bufinefs; and, when difputes and contefts were moft to be feared, all were unanimous and feemingly compofed. During proceedings fo friendly to the defigns of the Crown, the The King King himfelf became fenfible, that he was not deftined, in perfon, to horfe.' carry into execution, the great fchemes which he had formed. He, however, endeavoured to conceal the declining ftate of his health, to accomplifh, with more facility, his favourite views. A fortunate coincidence of circumftances, had thrown the opi- nions of the people into the fame channel with his own. The parties, in parliament, were-fo well poifed, that in a mutual fear of each other, they both courted the King. The animofities which had always embroiled and embarraflod his meafures, were fufpended ; and he had the fatisfadlion to have one glimpfe of ferenity, in the evening of a tempeftuous reign. To continue a calm fo favourable to his fcheme of embarking England in the war, he fpread reports of his recovery. But an accident accele- • Journals, Jan. lo, 1702, ^ Jan, g, rated 322 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A P. rated that diflblution, which was apparently advancing, though' i___,JL_j by ilow degrees. On the tvventy-firll oi" February, willing ftill ''°*' to continue his ufual diverfion of hunting, he mounted his horfe, though in a languifhing ftate oF health, and riding out from Kenfington towards Hampton-court, the horfe fell, and in his fall, his Majefty broke his right collar-bone. He was carried to Hampton-court, and the bone was fet; but, contrary to advice, he returned the fame evening, in his coach to Kenfmgton. His death. Tuis accidcDt, though it might have haftcned the death of Wil- liam, bore, for fome time, no appearance of proving fatal. On the twenty-eighth of February, the gazette declared, in exprefs terms, that the King was perfedly recovered ; and, on the fame day, he fent a meflage to both houfes, concerning an union between the kingdoms of England and Scotland. On the firfl: of March, the bill for attainting the pretended Prince of Wales, received the royal aflent by commilTion. On the fecond day of that month, fuch fymptoms appeared, that all hopes of the King's recovery were loft. A defluxion fell upon his knee. The afthma, to which he had been always fubjedt, increafed. He breathed fhort, and he was reftlefs and feverifli. The two houfes, in the mean time, continued to fit. The council was aflembled to receive the reports of the phyficians. But, even in that extremity, it was malicioufly remarked, that no Englifhman of quality had any accefs to the King's chamber. About five in the morning, of Sunday the eighth of March, his Majefty received the facramem, from the hands of the Archbiftiop of Canterbury ; and at eight he expired, in the arms of one of his pages. Some papers, which might throw confiderable light on the hiftory of this Prince, were, with his laft breath, configned to the hands of the Earl of Albemarle ; and they were probably deftroyed by that lord. Albemarle, whofe original ofiice was that of a tranfcriber of letters, had been employed, in the preceding month,, on a fervice of WILLIAM IIL 223 of the fame kind. He had returned, on the Teventeenth of Fe- ^ ^ /^ ^• 1702. bruary, from Holland, with all the fecret correfpondences which had paffed between the King and the Penfionary, under the fup- pofition, that the latter was alfo dying. •Though the charadler given of the Prince of Orange', in an Reflexions, early period of his life, ran through the whole conduQ of King William, when he fat on the throne of England, fome new and ftriking features were called forth, by the extraordinary events which filled his reign. His political conduit, and the difpofition of his mind, have been varioufly and oppofitely reprefented : a thing not furprifing, in a country where writers have not been able to diveft themfelves of the prejudices and partialities incident to party. In fuch a jarring ftate of opinions, this Prince muft have been too much praifed by the one fide, and by the other as extravagantly condemned. The nearefl; path to truth, muft certainly lie between thefe two extremes. But that path, though obvious, has not, hitherto been trod by hiftorians ; who have imiformly yielded to the prejudices of others, or have been fwayed by their own. Their proximity to the period concerning which they wrote, may form, for many, a compleat excufe. The paffions of party, came glowing down on the current of the times. Authors caught the heat of thofe with whom they them- felves were moft conneded in life ; and became, inadvertently, and fometimes defignedly, partial, through a weaknefs which they unjuftly dignified with the name of principle. William the Third, King of Great Britain and Ireland, was Hisperfon. in his perfon of a middle fize, ill-fliaped in his limbs, fomewhat round in the fhoulders, light-brown in the colour of his hair and in his complexion. The lines of his face were hard, and his nofe aquiline. But a good and penetrating eye threw a kind of light * Vol. i. p. s-6.-! . 224 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, on his countenance, which tempered ite feverity, and rendered his u— v-^^ — » harfh features, in fome meafure, agreeable. Though his confti- 1702. tution was weak, dcHcate and infirm, he loved the manly exer- clfes of the field; and often indulged himfelfin the pleafures, and even, fometimes, in the exceffes of the table. In his private charatler, he was frequently harfh, paflionate, and fevere, with regard to trifles. But when the fubje£t rofe equal to his mind, and in the tumult of battle, he was dignified, cool, and ferene. Though he was apt to form bad impreflions, which were not eafily removed, he was neither vindidive in his difpofition, nor obftinate in his refentment. Negledted in his education, and, perhaps, deftitute by nature of an elegance of mind, he had no tafte for literature, none for the fcicnces, none for the beautiful arts. He paid no attention to mufic, he underftood no poetry. He difiregarded learning. He encouraged no men of letters, no painters, no artifts of any kind. In fortification and in the ma- thematics, he had a confiderable degree of knowledge. Though unfijccefsful in the field, he underftood military operations by land. But he neither pofleffed nor pretended any fkill in mari- time affairs. ^h^^'aeT^ In the diftributlon of favours, he was cold and injudicious. In the punifhment of crimes, often too eafy, and fometimes too fevere. He was parfimonious where he fhould be liberal; where he ought to be fparing, frequently profufe. In his. temper he was fi lent and referved, in his addrefs ungraceful ; and though not deftitute of diffimulation, and qualified for intrigue, lefs apt to conceal his paffions than his defigns. Thefe defedls, rather than vices of the mind, combining with an indifi^erence about humouring mankind through their ruling paffions, rendered him extremely unfit for gaining the affections of the Englifh nation. His reign, therefore, was crowded with mortifications of various kinds. The difcontented parties among his fubjeds, found no 6 difficulty WILLIAM III. 22J e H A i». IV. 1-02. tiifficulty in eflranging the minds of the people from a Prince, poffefled of few talents to make liim popular. He was truftcd, perhaps, lefs than he deferved, by the moil obfequious of his par- liaments; but it feems, upon the whole, apparent, that the nation adhered to his government, more from a fear of the return of his predcceflbr, than from any attachment to his own perfon, or re- fpedl for his right to the throne. These harlli features of the mind of King William, prefcnted His public ° /^ . conduft, themfelves only to thofe who took a near and critical view of his condudl. To men who obferved him at a diftance, and as a prin- cipal objedl in the great fcale of Europe, he appeared a refpe£lable, a prudent, and even a great Prince. During the lafl: twenty years of his life, his abilities, by a dextrous management of the events of the times, raifed him to an influence in Chriflendom, fcarcc ever before carried by a Prince beyond the limits of his own dominions. Peculiarly fortunate in the fuccefs of his political meafures, he obtained his authority through channels the mofl flattering, becaufe the moft uncommon. He was placed at the head of his native country, as the lafl hopes of her fafety from conquefl and a foreign yoke. He was raifed to the throne of Great Britain, under the name of her deliverer from civil tyranay and religious perfecution. He v/as confidered in the fame im- portant light by th^ reft of Europe. The Empire, Spain, and Italy looked up to his councils, as their only refource againft the cxhorbitant ambition and power of Lewis the Fourteenth ; and France herfelf, when fhe affeded to defpife his power the moft, owned his importance, by an illiberal joy upc^n a,.falfe repQi;t of his death". But if the private charader of William has been too critically Refleciion* examined, here the praife bellowed on his public condud ought * 1690. Vol. II. G g to 1702. 226 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. to terminate, Though he was brave in adion, and loved war as an amufement, he poffefled not the talents of a great general, and he was too prodigal of the lives of men. Though he obtained the name of a deliverer in England, and though, in fadl, he might be confidered in that light, with regard to Europe, more is owing to his own ambition, than to a general love of mankind. In Holland, whei-e he obtained the chief authority, in a time of pub- lic diftrefs, he frequently exercifed his power in a manner incon- fiftent with the rights of a free ftate '. In England, he fcarce adhcrred, in any thing to the moderate declaration which paved his way to the throne. Though he obtained the crown by elec- tion, he fhewed no difpofition to relinquifh any of its hereditary ornaments ; and though he affeded to defpife royalty, no Prince was ever more fond of the diflindion paid to a King. His in- trigues to expel his uncle from a throne, which he himfelf intended to mount, were by no means fuitable with any ftri£t adherence to virtue ^ To gain to his intereft the fervants of King James, may not have been inconfiftent with thofe allowances generally made for ambitious views. But there was a confiderable degree of immorality, in his being acceflary to fuggefting thofe unpopular meafures, which he turned, afterwards, with fo much fuccefs, againft that unfortunate as well as imprudent Monarch'. Upon the whole, if we muft allow that King William, with all his faults, was a great Prince, it ought alfo to be admitted, that virtue was never an unfurmountable obftacle to his ambition and views on power. ' D'Avaux. ^ James II. D'Avaux. MSS. 1688. Dalrymple's Append. «D'Avai«. MSS. 1688. QJJ E EN Q^^U E E N ANN E. C H A p. V. Acccjfion of Anne. ^tate of parties. Her firjl fpeech to par- liament. She refolnjes to profecute the luar. A general ferment. Neiv minljlry.:' Marlborough and Godolphin in chief poiver. They correfpond ivith St. Germains. Parlia- ment prorogued. Affairs of Scotland. ■ A great ferment. A feceffion of members.- Aci of fettlement rejcBed. Cam- paign of i']02. Operations atfea. Succefs before Vigo. ' New parliament. Proceedings. Penfion refifed to Marl- borough. His intrigues ivith St. Germains. Bill againfl occafional conformity. Divfion betiveen the houfss. Par- liament prorogued. ConduB: of the Whigs. ^leen favours the Tories. -Court of St. Germains apply to Marlborough. Affairs of Scotland. -Characler of the Duke of Hamilton. His inflruciions from St. Germains. Neiv parliament. ASi of fecurity. A5l of fettlement rejected. Violent heats. State of Scotland.) ivith regard to England. Affairs of Ire- land — —Campaign of ''"JO-j,. Progrefs of the French and Bavarians . Operations on the Rhine — In Flanders — and at fea. Affairs of the North. A fefion of parlia7nent. Ample fupplies. A dreadful tempefl. Bill againf occafional conformity. Scotiflj plot. Characler of Simon Frafer. — — His crimes. His plot difcovered. Difpiite betiveen the houfes. P arliament prorogued. ANNE, Princefs of Denmark, eldefl furviving daughter of chap. James the Second, mounted the throne of England, upon ^' the death of Kuig WiUiam, in ci,^nfequence of the a£l i".^'^' paffcd in the year 1689, for the fettlement of the crown. The two Anne G g 2 houfes 228 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. Jioufes of parliament, as foon as the death of the late King was v_— v^-— J made known, aflembled ; and unanimoufly congratulated the ' *' Queen upon her acceffion. To the privy council, who met at the Tame time, fl^e made the cuftomary declaration ; and ordered all the Lords and others, who had ferved the late King in council, to take the oaths to herfelf in the fame capacity. She was pro- March 8, claimed in the afternoon of the eighth of March, with the ufual folcmnity, amidft the applaufe of the populace. The two fuc- ceeding days were employed in receiving the addreffes of the two houfes of parliament, the felicitations of the church, and the congratulations of the city of London. The late king, unpopular while he lived, was almoft forgot as foon as dead ; and the people, with their ufual eagernefs for novelty, turned all their thoughts toward the firft meafures of the new reign. 'O' Though the late King had no reafon to be pleafed with either State of par- . ... , ties. of the two parties who had divided between them the nation, he had, fome months before his death, thrown himfclf and his affairs into the hands of the Whigs. The hopes derived by the Tories from the declining ftate of his health, had prevented that vio- lence, which they might have otherwife exhibited in parlia- ment, on account of their being excluded from power. The unanimity in the two houfes, M-ith regard to foreign affairs, pro- ceeded, probably, from the fame caufe. The Whigs could deny nothing to the Crown, as their leaders were in office ; and the Tories were not averfe to a v/ar, which they themfelves were fure to manage, after the expeded demife of the King. The two parties had pledged themfelves too far to retreat from their en- gagements ; and, therefore, though a change of minlftry was naturally to be expedted, from the acceffion of a Princefs, whom the coldnefs of her predeceiTor, and the diiVefpedful conduit of the party now in power, had evidently thrown into the arms of the Tories, there was no reafon to apprehend any change in the great line of the meafures of government. TUE Q^U E EN ANNE. 229 The Queen, in her firfl: fpeech to pad lament, furnifhed a CHAP, proof, that flie was led by councils very different from thofe of l__^J— _/• her predeceffor in the throne. Though fhe paid a compliment to Anne'^^a. his memory in the beginning, fhe concluded v/ith a kind of cen- *^p<='"<^'^' fure upon his conduct. She affured the two houfes, that as her- own heart was entirely Englifh, flie would agree to every thing that they could cither expeft or defire for the happinefs and pro- fperity of England. The expreffion manifeflly regarded the too great attachment to his own countrymen, for which King William- had been blamed. But to this allufion to the prediledion of the late King for foreigners, fhe added words that feemed highly to reiiedl on his moral condufi. In confirmation of her promife to both houfes, fhe allured them, that they would always find pier a ftriifl and religious obferver of her word. The firft part of the Queen's fpeech contained the ufual affurances of a new reign. She agreed, fhe faid, in fentiments with the concurrent addrcfles of the two houfes, that too much could not be done for the allies, . to reduce the exorbitant power of France. Sh^ recommended an union with- Scotland, as neceffary for the peace and fecurity of both kingdoms; and fhe defired that the revenue for the fupport of the civil government, fhould be renewed in a manner fuitable to ^ her own honour and the dignity of the Crown \ . Though the Queen was at no pains to conceal her attachment Proceed [ngsi* to one party, the other could not oppofe her meafures in parlia- °ion''^""^'' ment without deferting their own. The eagernefs which fhe difcovered to adhere to the meafures of King William, with regard to foreign affairs, would render an oppofition to the neceffary fupplies too inconfiffent with the late conduft of the Whigs. They made a merit, therefore, of complying with what they could not prevent. The commons puifued, with a fliew of. unanimity and zeal, the affairs recommended from the throne^. • Journals, March ii, 1702. They 230 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1702. CHAP. They fettled upon her Majefty ' during life, the revenue pofleffed by the late King for the fupport of the civil government. They ordered a bill, to impower the crown to appoint commilTioners to treat for an union between England and Scotland. Provifion had been already made, for the eventual expence of a war, during the fucceeding fummer ; and the Queen, inftead of demanding fupplie? from the nation, found an opportunity of alleviating a part of their burden. When fhe came to the houfe of lords, on the thir- tieth of March, to give the royal affent to the bill for the eftablifh- ment of her own revenue, fhe made a fpeech from the throne? calculated to gain popularity. She told the two houfes, that though the funds for the civil lift, might greatly fall ftiort of what they formerly produced, fhe would give directions, that one hun- dred thoufand pounds of her own revenue ftiould be applied to the public fer vice of the year**. The Queen While Anne was rendering herfelf popular at home, flie engages to fupport the gained the efteem of her allies abroad, by fhewing a warm zeal for their caufe. Two days after the death of William, flie con- doled with the States of the United Provinces upon that event, in a letter. She affurcd them, that as flie had fucceeded the late King in his throne, fhe would alfo fucceed him in the fame incli- nation, to a conftant union and amity with their republic, as weU as adherence to the late alliances. That ilie v/ould concur with the allies in general, in meafures neceffary for the prefervation of the common liberty of Europe, in reducing the power of France within proper bounds. That ftie fhould always look upon the interefts of England and thofeof the States as infeparable, and united with fuch ties as could not be broken, without the greateft prejudice to the two nations. The Earl of Marlborough was probably the advifer of meafures, which he afterwards executed wath ability. The attachment which thia nobleman had uniformly (hewn to the 'March 14. ^ Journals, March 30. Queen, Q^U E E N A N N E. 231 Queen, when fhe was little refpeded by the nation and pcrfccuted ^ HA P. by the court, had either excited fentiments of gratitude or created > . ' principles of obedience to his inclinations in her mind. The 'nrfl honours, and even the firft confiderable office, conferred in the prefent reign, were beftowed on the earl". On the thirteenth of . March, he received the garter. The next day, he v,'as appointed captain-general of all the forces to be employed by the Queen, in conjundlion with the troops of the allies ; and, the week there- after, he was difpatched to Holland, in the charadlcr of ambafla- dor extraordinary to the States '. The vidory obtained by the Tories over the Whie;s, by the ^ ferment fucceffion of a fovereign of their own prmciples to the throne, doors. produced a ferment without doors, though all things bore a face of harmony and unanimity within. Violent men of both parties carried their own prejudices, with indecent freedom, to the prefs ; and difgraced their converfation with mutual refledions of the "worft and moft dangerous kind. The Whigs were openly accufed of aiming at the eftablifhment of a commonwealth, by endeavour- ing to deprive the reigning Queen of the fucceffion to the throne. The memory of the late King was attacked with open affertions of the fame kind; though it is highly probable, that Prince was very indifferent about what perfon fhould mount, after him, the throne. An enquiry by the lords into this idle tale, produced only a negative proof of its not being founded in fad. They voted, upon an examination of King William's papers by a com- mittee, that nothing appeared that tended to the prejudice of her Majefty, or her fucceffion to the crown. The Lords followed this unmeaning vote, with animadverfions upon injurious refledions printed againft the Whigs ^. The Tories, in the mean time, failed not to annoy their opponents, in the fame way. They pro- cured a vote, that a book, refleding on King Charles the Firft, e March 13. ^ Life of Marlborough, vol. i, « May 12. was 171 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN". C HA p. xvas a fcandalous and villainous libel, that tended to the fubvcr- V • lion of monarchy; and, as fuch, they ordered the book to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman \ 1703. A new mini- On the twelfth of April, the late King was privately interred; and, on the twenty-third of the fame month, the Queen was crowned, with the ufual folemnity at Weftminfter. The Tory party, who already governed her councils in private, were now admitted, without referve, into the public departments of the ftate. The offices of the houfchold were filled with men of high prin- ciples for monarchy. The Lords Somers and Halifax, together with other leaders of the jWhigs, were excluded from the new privy-council'; and their places fuppllcd with eminent Tories. The Marquis of Normanby, remarkable for his attachment to her iamily, was raifed to ihe office of lord privy-feal, by the Queen. But the moft important promotion of all was that of the Lord Godolphin, to the flaff of lord high-treafurer of England, Though Godolphin was well qualified for this important flation, he owed his office more to the influence of the Earl of Marlbo- rough, than to his own merit. The connedion, which had long fubfifted in political views, between thefe two noble perfons, had been lately more clofely cemented, by the marriage of the fon of the former with the eldeft daughter of the latter. Their private interefts being thus united, they carried forward, with harmony as well as abilities, the bufinefs of the public. Marlborougli The acceffion of Anne to tlie crown had removed to a diftance phin in cor- ^^^^ hopes of the court of St. Germains. But they were not en- wi'^h°"s^^"" tirely quaflied, till the appointment of her fervants. Though •Germains. Marlborough had been raifed by King William, in the preceding year, to the command of the Britifh troops in Flanders, he liftened, ■after the death of James the Second, to the folicitations made in •> May 16. ' April 4. "^ Stuart-papers, 1701. 1 favour i;oi. Q^U E E N ANNE. ^'^ 233 IS.'Jottt' of t^e fon of that unfortunate Prince''. A kind of prin- ciple, in favour of the family of Stuart, had been mixed wiih this nobleman's averfion to William; and there is fcarce any doubt, that !ind their reftoration to the throne fuited equally with his owni private intereft, but he would have preferred them to any other race offovereigns. Godolphin had been long attached to the fame caufc. Though he had promoted the views of the Prince of Orange, he foon changed his opinion, with regard to King William. He had liflened with attention, ever fince the expulfion of James, to all overtures made by the adherents of that Prince ; and, upon his death, he exprelTed the fame attachnient and regard to his fon. The natural timidity of his difpofition, prevented him formerly from making any vigorous exertions in favour of the excluded family ; and, after the demife of William, the thing itfelf became more difficult, and befides, his own zeal was rendered more cool, by the profpedt of advantage which he derived from the new reign. ;;rr fr-'r: ■ The ftate of opinions had adlually changed in England, with Stateofopi- the ftate of its affairs. The crown, by the death of William, had regard to the fallen almofi: into the old channel. Inftead of a foreigner and ce5ioa.^ ^'^' only a relation, a Princefs, a native of the kingdcsm, the only daughter of a King, whofe title, as far as it was hereditary, was utidoubted, and, at the fame time, aproteftant, and much attached to the church, had how poffeffion of the throne. The greateft part of the high-flying Tories, and even fome vehement and de- termined Jacobites, were fatisfied, on account of its convenience, with a fmall deviation from the line of fuccefllon. Though they vsrere both, efpecially the latter, invariably attached to the here- ditary defcent of the crown, they were willing to leave to events, that might arife in the progrefs of time, what could not be done at prefent, either with certainty or without danger. Though they had a recent example before them, that the quiet enjoyment ' Stuart-papers, ?7oi. ^Vot. II. H h of :y4 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. of the crown depended by no means upon any hereditary right* they hoped, that the influence of the reigning fovereign would '^°*' enable her to bequeath the throne to her own family. Similar fentimcnts had been adopted by the few perfons who flill formed, at St. Germains, the idl^ fhew of a court. They knew the pro- feflions, which the Queen had made to her father, during the moft part of her predeceilbr's reign ; and they endeavoured to flatter themfelves with hopes, that (he only took pofleflion of the go- vernment to reftore and confirm the crown, efpecially at her death* to her excluded brotjjer '. t Wardcclar. '' These TCafons United the Tories and the Jacobites, in an un^-* ^" nimous fupport of the government of the new Queen. The Whigs cither yielded to the current of the people, always vio- lent for monarchy in every new reign, or they were afliamed of oppofing meafures, which fprung firft from themfelves. On the fecond of May, the bufinefs of the intended war againft France and Spain, was debated in the privy-council. The Earl of Ro- chefter, maternal uncle to the Queen, is faid to have propofed> that the Englifh nation fhould.only engage in the meafures of the allies, as auxiliaries ; and that the chief weight of the war ough^ t6 reft on thofe, who had moft to fear from the power of Franie^i, The Earl of Marlborough, who had returned from Holland, after fettling the projected operations with the States, declared himfelf vehement for an immediate declaration of war, to be iflued by England, as a principal. The meafures taken by himfelf, during an embafly of a few days in Holland, rendered, in fome degree, neceflary the meafure which he fupported. The States, upon the afliirances made by the Queen, had agreed to all the propofals of her reputed favourite. They had raifed him to the chief coiht j mand of their troops, the allies had furniihed, with alacrity, th^ir^ feveral quotas, and everything was actually prepared for ayi?- gorous and adive campaign. A majority of the council yielded ' Stuart-pagers, 1 702. .!•.- ,!*- ellhei iViU- QJJ E E N AN n'ePT:§*^ 23.^ i.. V. 17c?.. cither W the influence or reafons of the Earl of ' Marlborough. ^ " ^ Their refolutions were communicated, the fame day, to the com- ■toons ; and war was declared in form on the fourth of May. The commons had agreed to all that the court defired Parliament l^ith regard to war, before the death of the King. They had, P'°'°S"*= therefore, no opportunity of fliewing their liberality, in that refpedt, to the Queen. The public bufmefs being brought to a conclufion, the parliament was prorogued, on the twenty-fifth of May. Preparations for profecuting the war with vigour, by fea as well as by land, had been made in the principal ports of the kingdom. The Earl of Pembroke, who had been raifed, by the late King, to the office of lord-admiral of England, was fucceeded in that important department by the Prince of Denmark. The camplalfance of the different parties to the new Queen, induced them to overlook an informality in the commiffion conferred on her confort. He was permitted to chufe a council, for his infor- mation and affiftance, in the execution of his office. This cir- cumftance was confidered as the creation of a new board, a thing not allowable, according to the opinion of many, but by ail of parliament. But the refped of the nation for the Queen, and the peculiar fituation of the Prince himfelf, prevented . all enquiry ^ . r 1 • -ll'fl/010ai£iiiv.i ton. '■ • upon this fubject. ; While the bufmefs of the public was carried on with fuch Affairs of unanimity in England, the affairs of Scotland became embroiled, Scotland. intricate, and perplexed". Though the late King had found,. means to allay the ferment, concerning the bufmefs of Darien, the animofities and heats againft government were rather fufpended than extinguifhed. The difcontents of the Scotifh nation had. uniformly I'ubfifted, during the whole of King William's reign ;, and that Prince, with more policy than juflicej had continue^j fpr., "Buinet, vol. iii. H h 2 the 1702. zneiu. ao6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the thirteen years he had fat on the throne, the'fertie'coiiVentlo'i^ parliament, which had placed the crown cf Scotland on his liead. The unabating difguft among the people, rendered the King unwilling to remand them to a choice of a new reprefentative. Though the old parliament had frequently proved refraftory, he knew that they had ratheryielded to the current of the times, than to either their regard to the interefts of their conftitue'nts or tTieif diflike to his own government. Befides, his ferVa:n*ts had< thi*0\i^ a long habit and experience^ difcovered'the fecret channel to'tRe vote of every inember. They made fuch gofed ijfe of ' th?8 knowledge, that the ferment concerning Darienhad Unaccoimt- ably fubfided at once, in the January of 1701 ; and a kind of furly tranquillity prevailed, among the people, during that whole year". '> ■*''^^- '■'' A great fer- The condud of Anne, upon her acceflion to the throne of Scotland, was by no means calculated to extinguifh the difcon- ^ents, which lay lurking in every corner of , that kingdom. Un- willing to offend the "Whigs, whom her rhinifters confidered as the moft powerful party, they continued all the fervants of her pre- deceffor, in the higher departments of the ftate. The joy, therefore, which her elevation had raifed among the difcontented, foon declined. They applied, through their leaders, for the dif- folution of the convention-parliament. But they were oppofed by the miniflers, who were afraid to venture upon the new choice of a people already inflamed. The Queen fuftered herfelf to be perfuaded by the arguments of the latter, or to be fwayed.by her own fears. She continued the old parliament, which was appointed to meet on the ninth of June. To add to the difcon- tents of thofe, who called themfelves the country party, the Duke' of Queenfberry, highly obnoxious to the people in general, was" appointed commiffioner. Prior to the meeting of parliament', the » Mem. of ScGdand. Queen -^ Q£U EE NTO AIN N ECTeiH ^37 Queen endeavoured to aliay the bad humour of the malcontents, ^ '"^ .•^ ''• and to loothe the people into an acquiefccnce with regard to her * .— — » own meafures. She wrote a letter as early as the twenty-firft of '^^^* April, to the parliament, full of afiurancea of her protedion to the rights of the people, and the intereft and independence of the kingdom. She exprefTed her regret at the diiappointments of the African company. She promil'ed her concurrence in every thing for the encourngement of the commerce of the nation in general, and for repairing the lolTes of the adventurers in particular. She recommended, at the furie time, the union between the kingdoms; and that Ihe fhould think the bringing to perfc£lion a meafure fo falutary, the greateft happinefs of her reign °. .' Fair words were by no means fufEcient, either to gratify the ArecefnotKH" eigiity mem- populace or to gain their leaders. When the parliament, on the bers, ninth of June, met at Edinburgh, the Duke of Hamilton, before her Majefty's commiflion was read, rofe in his place and protelled againft their fitting. He offered his reafons, in a fhort fpeech to the houfe; and communicated a paper to the fame purpofe, con- taining his own proteft, and that of fuch members as fhould adhere to his opinion. He immediately went out of the houfe. Eighty members following his example, fecededat the fame time; and were received in the llreets with the loudefi: acclamations of the populace, who had aflerabled on this extraordinary occafiorv; The members wlio remained in the houfe, notwithftanding this great feceffion, confidered themfelves a legal parliament. After the commiffion and the Queen's letter were read, they adjourned, for two days ; and, when they met again, on the eleventh of June, they appointed the ufual committees, and proceeded to bufinefs-. Overtures were received immediately for various adls of imp9rt7 'SLjf^i^. ,One of thefe, declaring the prefent meeting a legal parlia? Hient, .and difcharging all perfons from difowning. its aiithority, ^ Letter, April 21, 1702. 4 under 838 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIbJ. under the penalty of high-treafon, was unanimoufly, paffed and touched with the fcepter, the next day V^ ^^ij ,:'jr.i'.?u l v ; »; s^j iJOl. , I J. "1 An aafor ThE diffcnting members endeavoured in vain to juftify their crown^re-* own condud to the Queen. Though fhe admitted their meflenger, jeftcd. tiie Lord Blantyre, into her prefence, (he abfolutely refufed tp, receive their addrefs. She fignified, at the fame time, to the, fitting members, that (he was refolved to maintain againft all, oppofcrs, their dignity and authority as a legal parliament. The, feflion accordingly proceeded, with an appearance of vigour^ amidft all the clamours of the people. They granted an imme- diate fupply to the Queen. They reprimanded the faculty of • advocates, for declaring, that the proteft and conduf;. withftanding their unanimity upon thefe points, an overture ,. f made by the chancellor, the Earl of Marchmont, for the fettle- ment of the crown in the proteftant line, and for abjuring the pretended Prince of Wales, was rejeded. The commiffioner having received no inftrudions, upon that head, from England, laid his commands upon Marchmont not to proceed. But the vehemence of the latter overcame his refped for the authority of the former. - •: Caufesofthit The Quech herfclf and her Englifh minifters were, at tf^e-, time, extremely averfe from this meafure. They had various reafons for wifhing to keep the fuccelTion open in Scotland. They wiflied to retain a check upon the Whigs, and to awe the family of Hannover; who, from a near profped of the crown, might, extend their intrigues to the affairs of the kingdom. They favoured, at the fame time, the excluded Prince. Befides, the f June 12. ■! June 25. 7 regard 1702, '^ QJJ E E N ANN E.^T^^^^ 239 the regard which Anne may be naturally fuppofed to have enter- tained for a brother, £he had given a thoufand aflurances to her father, to do every thing in her power to reftore the fuccefllon to the ancient channel, even defore the deatti of her own Ton the Duke of Gloucefter. The demife of that Prince, her own defpair of progeny, her refpe<9: for the memory of a father, and fome affedion for her own family, had probably rendered her inclined to transfer the crown, at her death, to the pretended Prince of Wales. Her chief minifter Godolphin, and her greateft favourite the Earl of Marlborough, had added the mod folemn oaths, to their promifes to fupport the intereft of King James and his fon. They had renewed thefe promifes, even fince the acceflion of the reigning Queen had thrown the whole power of the kingdom into their hands ' : though they never meant to deprive her, dur- ing her life, of the crown, fhould fhe continue to hold it under their diredlion and miniftry. Vil During the heats raifed by the ill-timed overture made by pjorog'!!^! Marchmont, the members who oppofed it, difcovered an incli- nation for admitting the diflenting members into the houfe. Queenfberry, afraid of the confequences, adjourned the parlia- ment, from the thirtieth of June to the eighteenth of Auguft. A kind of unfettled tranquillity fucceeded the combuftion raifed by the Scotiih malecontents. But though commiffioners were appointed for an union between the two kingdoms, both parties fhewed fo little inclination to finifh that important treaty, that -sMsfimuMi: the whole fell for the time to the ground. The majority^'oi the Scots had, in their difguft at the conduft of the late King, with regard to their commerce, forgot thofe terrors for their religion, which had induced them to place the crown on his ' head. The Highlanders, efpecially, who were never enthufiafts, / had always fufFered their high notions of hereditary right, to ' Stuart-papers, j;02. ;i! overcome 1702. 240 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. overcome their attachment to Prcfbytery. The acceflion of Anne, by bringing the throne nearer to the old flock, had eflal)!inied in their minds a kind of certainty, that things were to return to their former channeL The affurances given by them of fupporting» upon a proper occafion, the efforts of the malcontents ', encou- raged greatly the fecefhon of the dilTenting members ; who cer-. tainly covered their a(Fe£lion for the excluded family, under the fpecious pretext of adhering to the laws of their country. Campiign in TuouGn the war was kindled on all fides, between the allies and the houfe of Bourbon, the campaign produced no decifive event. The feeble flate of the latter, was balanced by the unprepared condition of the former; who, except England and. Holland, were not furniflied with the means of acting with any vigour. The military operations of the feafon began, on the part of the allies, with the fiege of Keyferfwaert, which the Eledor of Cologn had placed in the hands of the French '. The Prince of Baden afl'embled, in the mean time, an army on the Upper-Rhine, to cut off the communication between the country of Alface and Landau, which he rcfolved to befiege. The French found themfelves unable to relieve either of thofe important places. Keyferfwaert furrendercd to the allies, after a fiege of fifty-nine days °; and Landau, having been gallantly defended for three months, fell into the hands of the King of the Romans, on the tenth of September. The Duke of Burgundy, having under him the Marefchal de BoufBers, made an attempt, in vaia,- upon Nimeguen"; and the Earl of Marlborough, having taken the command of the allied army in Flanders, on the fecond of July, was difappoint-ed in all his endeavours to bring the enemy to battle. He, however, reduced Venlo% Ruremonde^, and the citadel of Liege ""; and having thus opened the navigation of the « Stuart-papers, MSS. ' April I J. " June 15. " June n. * Sept. 23. y Oft. 7. * Oft. 23. Maefe, Q^UEEN ANNE. ;S!4i .Maefe,- and the communication with the town of Maftricht, ^ ^' ^ ^ put an end, with reputation, to the campaign on the lidc of v. — ^- — ' flanders. The principal effort of the Emperor was made in Italy, in Italy, and T, ■ i , ,,,•/- r I o" 'he Rhine. where Prince Eugene, who commanded' his forces, was oppoled by the combined armies of France and Spain. Eugene, as early as the firft of February, had furprifed Cremona. But he was inftantly expelled from the place, chiefly by the valour of the Iriih troops, in the French fervice. The Marefchal de Villeroi was, however, taken by the Germans, and the command devolved on the Duke de Vendome. The young King of Spain took the field, in perfon. Having left the government in the hands of the Queen, affifted by a council, he had pafled into Naples, and took the nominal command of the army, which was adlually led by •Vendorae. A body of five thouiand, under the general Vifcomti were defeated, at Santa Vittoria, on the twenty-fixth of July. Prince Eugene was forced, on the firft of Auguft, to raife the blockade of Mantua ; and he was in fome degree worfted, on the fifteenth of the fame month, at Luzara. This advantage, ob- tained by the French in Italy, was followed by a vidory on the Upper Rhine. The Marquis de Villars, having been detached by the army commanded by the Marefchal de Catinat, defeated the Imperialifts, under the Prince of Baden, though fluflied with the conqueft of Landau. To fum the whole of this campaign, tlie French loft the greateft number of towns, and gained moft advantages in the field. The operations at fea were lefs favourable to France and Spain, Operations than the campaign by land. The confederate fleet, confifling of fifty fhips of the line, thirty Englifh and twenty Dutch, commanded in chief by Sir George Rook, failed, on the firft of July, from St, Helens. They carried twelve thoufand troops on board, nine , ^ Vol. II. I i •*' •"" " thoufand 1702. 24« HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. thoiifand Englifli, and three Dutch, under the command of th?as extremely popular. The Tory-party, when the votes depended on the free fuffrages of the vulgar, prevailed. The new parliament, after two prorogations, met at Weftminfter, on the twentieth of October; and the commons having unanimoufly chofen Mr. Robert Harley for their fpeaker,. the Queen, as ufual, made a fpeech to both houfes from the throne. Having exprefled her fatisfadion at meeting a new par- liament, flie demanded fuch fupplies as might enable her ta comply with engagements already made, and fuch others as- might be deemed neceflary for the encouragement and fupport of the allies. To induce her fubjeds to bear, with chearfulnefs, the neceflary taxes, fhe defired her parliament to infped all the ac- counts of receipts and payments, and to punifh abufes. She obferved, fhefaid, with a degree of concern, that the funds for the year had, in fome meafure, failed ; and that, though fhe had paid and applied the hundred thoufand pounds, which ihe had promifed to the laft parliament, yet that fum had not fupplied the deficiency % Proceedings of the com- mons. The lords congratulated her Majefty, in general terms, upon the fuccefs of her arms, under the Earl of Marlborough ■". But the commons fhewed the principles that prevailed in their houfe, by comparing, with advantage, the prefent reign with the lafl:. The Queen had mentioned in her fpeech, her great concern at the difappointment before Cadiz; and the commons, in their ' Oft. 21. * oa, 2.3. addrefs. 1702. qjJ E E N A N N E. 245 addrefs, made light of that misfortune, when compared with the wonderful progrefs of her arms in Flanders, under the Earl of Marlborough, who had fignally retrieved the ancient honour and glory of the Englifh nation. This refledion on the memory of the late King, was oppofed by the Whigs, in a manner which fliewed only the great fuperiority of the Tories, when the houfewas divided upon the queflion "". The fame day a fupply was unani- moufly voted for the war. The commons refolved, on the thir- tieth of Oilober, that forty thoufand feamen fhould be employed for the fervice of the next year. They voted, on the fixth of November % that the Englifh proportion of land forces, to a£l in Gonjundion with the allies, fhould be forty thoufand men. They granted a fupply of eight hundred thoufand pounds', for main- taining thefe forces, three hundred and fifty thoufand, for the guards and garrifons, including five thoufand men, to be employ- ed by fea ; and fifty thoufand poimds, for fubfidies to her Ma^ jefly's allies. In the midft of this good humour in parliament, intelligence a difpute of the fuccefs before Vigo arrived at London. The Queen ac- jjouf"." ' * quainted the two houfes, that fhe had appointed the twelfth of November as a day of thankfgivlng, for the fignal fucceffes of her arms. She accordingly went, in perfon, to St. Paul's, on that day ^r attended by the peers and commons. A flight difpute be- tween the two houfes, interrupted, for a moment, the general harmony and unanimity which feemed to prevail. On a com- plaint made to the commons, by Sir John Packington "", againfl the Bifhop of Worcefter, for an undue interference in the late eledions, they addreffed her Majefly to remove that prelate from the ofHce of lord almoner. The lords, offended at the proceedings of the commons, againfl a member of their body, prefented a counter addrefs to the Queen. She, however, chofe to comply with the * Oct. 26. ' Nov, 6,. 'Nov. 10. « Nov. 12.. ^ Nov. 18. requefb 1702. 14:6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. rcq'ieft of the commons, whom flie krjew to be devoted to her fei vice She had told the lords, with a degree of fpirit, that though fhe had not yet received any proof of the complaints againft the Bifhop of Worcefler, fhe confidered it as her undoubted right to continue or dilplace any of her fervants at pleafur^ That prelate was accordingly difmifled immediately from the office of almoner ''. His difgrace proceeded more from the rcfentmen; of the high- church party, for his having adhered to their Ojijonents, than from any undue influence ufed in the election for Worcefter. An eventual The readincfs fhewn by the Queen to gratify the commons, fettled on the produced a return of complaifance on the part of that afienibly. Deumark. ^^ confequence of a meflage, carried to the houfe by Secretary Hedges, they refolved, that the yearly fum of one hundred thou- fand pounds fliould be fettled on the Prince of Denmark, fhould he happen to furvive her Majefly'. But to an application made by the Queen, in favour of the Earl of Marlborough, they paid not the like regard. That nobleman, having finifhed with great reputation, the campaign in Flanders, had, in the beginning of November, quitted the army and refulved to return to the Hague. Having embarked on the Maefe at Maftricht, he was taken prlfoner by a part of the garrifon of Guelders, the only place now remaining to the French, in Spanifh Guelderland. The good fortune which had attended the earl in the field, did not defert him on the prefent occafion. Producing a fidtitious pafs to the enemy, he was difmiiTed in a few hours, without being known ; and, having fettled incafures with the States, he arrived in England, in the end of November ". One refufed T\vo days " after his arrival, a committee of the houfe of corn- borough, mons, prefented the Earl vyith the thanks of that aflembly, for his great and fignal fcvices. On the fecond of December, her ^ Nov, 21, ' Nov. 35. » Nov. 28. " Nov, 30, Majefty Q^U E E N A N N E. 247 Majefty informed the council, that fhe intended to raife him to ^ ^^ ^' the rank of a duke ; and, on the tenth of the fame month, flie fent " ' a meflage to the commons, to requeft them to lettic, upon him and his heirs for ever, five thoufand pounds a year, which flie had granted him out of the poft-office, during her own life". The private chara(fler of Marlborough, nctwilhftanding the brilliaiicy of his public tranfadi-ons, was not calculated to gain friends. An inordinate love of money had induced him frequently to ftoop to ads of meannefs, that were as inconfiflent with the condud of a gentleman, as they were unworthy of his great talents. His political delinquency was, at the fame time, brought to his account, by the two great parties which divided the nation. The Tories had not yet forgot his defertion of his benefador King James the Second ; and thofe who favoured the revolution remembered, to his difadvantage, his condud toward the late King. The Queen's meffage was received, at firft, with aftonifhment and filence. A violent debate, at length, arofe. Much was faid of the merit of Marlborough. But the houfe in- formed the Queen, that they could not comply with a precedent to alienate the revenue of the crown '". The duke forefeeing, from the complexion of the debates, that His intrigues their refult would be unfavourable, prayed the Queen to withdraw mains. her meffage. This circumftance, however, hindered not the commons from prefenting their addrefs. The Tories, who now formed a great majority, contrived to convey a refledion on the late King, in their refufal of a fettlement on rvTarlborough. They complained that the revenue of the crown had been already too much redi ced, by the exorbitant grants af the lafl reign, to bear any further alienation. The adherents of the excluded branch of the family of Stuart, feemed to be moft inclined to involve Marlbo- rough in the cenfure pafied upon King William. Though he. • Dee. 10. , Dec. i6. 248 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. ^j^s known to have uniformly oppofed the power of that Prince, < / ' he was not deemed fincere in his profeffions and promilcs to his rivah His zeal, it is certain, had greatly abated, fince the accef- fion of Anne to the throne. He, however, kept upon fair terms with the court of St. Germains. He endeavoured to afcrihe to the multiplicity of his affairs, that want of attention, which a£l;ually proceeded from a change in his own views. He had, throughout the preceding fummer, expreffed frequently a warm attachment to the caufe of the pretended Prince of Wales ; and, as a proof of his zeal, he granted paffes to the agents of that Prince, v/hen they wifhed to tranfport themfelves into France to inform their mafter of the ftate of his affairs in England ''.But though he expofed himfelf to the laws of his country by this conduit, he had not the good fortune to fatisfy thofe whom he affeded to ferve. Amotion for Should a judgment be formed of the principles of the prefent King Wii- houfe of commons, from their difpofition to animadvert upon the con- l>am s grants. ^^^ of the late King, they might be concluded to have been extremely averfe from the change which that Prince had made in the fuccef- fion to the crown. The commiffioners for public accounts made ftri£l enquiries into the application of the public money, in the laft reign '. Sir Edward Seymour, who had dlftinguifhed himfelf in the debate agalnft Marlborough, moved for leave to bring in a bill, for refuming all grants made in King William's reign, and for applying them to the ufe of the public '. This motion was carried by a very great majority '. But another, made by Mr. Walpole, that all grants, made in tho reign of King James, fhould be refumed, paffed in the negative. The prevailing party, con- fifting chiefly of the landed interefi:, followed their vldtory with another Important motion. They procured an order for bringing m a bill, to prevent all perfons to be members of the houfe of commons, except fuch as fhould be found poffeffed of real eftates. 1 Stoart-oapers, 1702. ' Journals, Dec. 3. ' Dec. 23. » iSoagainrt -8. 2 ' / Thefe 1702 CLU E E N A N N E. 249 Thefe motions, however, feemed rather intended to fliew the power of the party, than meant ferioufly to be carried into laws. The bill of refumption, in particular, was deemed fo fevere, that it was adually dropt afterwards, by thofe who had carried the motion for its being introduced, with fo high a hand"; and the bill, for members to poflcfs real eftates, was thrown out by the lords '. While the Tories carried every thing in the houfe of com- A bill to pre- J " _ vent occa- mons, their violence was confiderably checked, by the predomi- fionai con- nancy of the oppofite party in the houfe of peers. The aft paflTed in the firft year of William and Mary, in favour of proteftant diflenters, had been always difliked by the high-church party. The influence of the court, joined to the zeal of the Whigs, had prevented any attempt to repeal this ad, as long as William fat upon the throne. But the party who favoured the church, find- ing themfelves fo powerful in the houfe of commons, under a Queen who adhered to their principles, pafled an order, on the fourth of November, for bringing in a bill to prevent occafional conformity. The bill was accordingly prepared and intro- duced, by Mr. Bromley and Mr. St. John, the latter, afterwards well known, under the title of Bolingbroke. On the ninth of December, the bill was, a third time, read, pafled, and fent to the lords. Though the latter rejected not the bill, they made feveral amendments, to which the commons would not yield. A conference between the two houfes, upon the fubjed:, produced nothing but a more firm adherence, on both fides, to their refpedtive opinions. The commons ordered, at length ", their proceedings upon this whole aff'air to be printed. Their example was followed by the lords, and the bill was dropt. The bill to prevent occafional conformity furniflied not the . ,.'".°3* \ ^ h divifion only caufe of difpute between the two houfes. The commif- between the houfes. ' Journals of the lords. " Feb. zj, 1705. ■>• Feb. 5. Vol. II, K k fioners, 250 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C W^ P- fioners, appointed for the infpedion of public accounts, proceed- <■■ » ' ing with their enquiries, the commons refolved, that the Lord ' ' HaHfax, auditor of the exchequer, had been guilty of a breach of truft and great mifmanagcments in his office. The lords having called for the accounts, came to a refolution diametrically oppo- fite to that of the commons. They voted, that the Lord Halifax had performed the duty of his office, as auditor of the exchequer, in tranfmitting the imprefl rolls to the Queen's remembrancer. The commons, in a conference, denied the right of the lords to examine any accounts, as they could neither fupply deficiencies, nor apply any furplufage, the grant of all aids being inherently veiled in the commons. That even, in their judicial capacity, the lords could only proceed againft mifmanagcments, upon the com- plaintof the commons ; and that no information collected from the accounts themfelves, could entitle the lords either to acquit or condemn. The lords, provoked at the reprefentations of the lower houfe, refolved, that the peers had an undoubted right to take cognizance of the public accounts. That their proceedings, with regard to the Lord Halifax, were regular ; and that the commons, in their conference, had thrown unbecoming refledlions on the lords, and had ufed unparliamentary arguments \ Parliament The commons equally irritated, reduced the arguments ad- vanced by their committee, into votes of their houfe. A fecond conference rather increafed than diminifhed the heats on both fides. But a fudden prorogation put an end to the difpute and the feffion. The Queen came to the houfe of lords, on the twenty-feventh of February, and made a fpeech from the throne. She thanked the two houfes for the difpatch they had given to the public bufinefs. She thanked the commons, in particular, for their great fupplies; and for their readinefs in making a provifion for the Prince of Denmark. To gratify the Tories, and in ad- * Feb. 17. herence 1/03. Q^U E E N ANNE. 251 lierence to her own principles, flie declared herfclf ftrongly in favour of the eftablifhed church. She hoped, fiie faid, that fuch of her fubjeds as had the misfortune to diflent from the church of England, fliould reft iecure and fatisfied in the ad of tolera- tion, which fhe was firmly refolved to maintain. That thofe, who had the advantage and happinefs to be of the church, fliould confider, that flie had been educated in its principles. That fhe had run great hazards for its prefervation. That flie would take particular care to maintain and encourage all its privileges and rights, and to tranfmit them fecurely to pofterity. Having ex- preffed her opinion, that further laws were neceffary for reftrainr ing the fcandalous licentioufnefs of the prefs ; the lord keeper, by her command, prorogued the parliament to the twenty-fecond of Aprir. The Queen and thofe who led her councils, had fome reafon to Condua of ■wifh for new reftridions on the licence afTumed by the writers of pamphlets and periodical papers. Though the Whigs, on the acceflion of Anne, turned their thoughts more to their own danger from their opponents, than the poffeffion of power, their hopes of regaining the influence which they had loft, gradually arofe. In the houfe of commons, their oppofition had been hitherto languid and feeble. The prejudices of thofe without were, there- fore to be raifed, to fecond efforts that might prove fuccefsful within. The prefs was employed, with great aflidulty, by the adherents of the party ; and a people naturally jealous of their rulers, began already to catch the flame. The new reign, how- ever, was ftill too popular to be ftiaken, by aggravated complaints. The terrors of the nation for popery, had altogether fubfided, in their knowledge of the Queen's firm adherence to the proteftant religion. The war had been carried on with a vigour and a fuc- cefe unknown in the preceding reign ; and the fpirits of mankind >■ Feb. 27. K k 2 being 252 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^v^ ^' ^^'"S I'SJ^ed,. by the flourifhing afpedl of affairs, public credit, that V- — „ ; had languilhcd long, was in a great mcafure reftored. 1703- Queen fa- vours the Tories. Secret views The low-church party, it ought to be confeffed, had fome" reafori to wiih for a change, in the meafures of the court, with regard to themfelves. Their condudl towards the Princefs of Denmark was neither forgot nor forgiven, by Queen Anne ; and her refentment had joined with her principles, in throwing her completely into the hands of the high-church party. The Whigs were, in a manner, profcribed and debarred from office; and the power which they ftill retained in thfe houfe of lords, feemed to demand their being excluded from honours. On the ninth of March, they were furnifhed with a proof that the current of royal favour was fet another way. To fecure a majority in the iipper- houfe, for the party whofe inter efts were abetted by the Queen,, four of the moft vehement Tories were raifed to the peerage. Finch, Gk)wer, Granville, and Seymour were the perfons dignified, upon this occafion, with honours. Others of the party, already in the houfe of lords, were gratified with higher titles. The Marquis of Normanby, in particulaj-, was created duke of the fame name. But the title of Duke of Bucklnghamfhire being after- wards added, he is better known by the latter name % The conduct of the court, and the views of the prevailing party in the houfe of commons, was confidered, by their opponents, as proceeding from a defign of defeating, ultimately, the fucceffion of the crown in the family of Brunfwick-Lunenburgh. A coin- cidence of circumftances, it is certain, had thrown the church- party, in fome degree, into the fcale of the excluded branch of the houfe of Stuart. They concluded that the more violent Whigs were, from principle, attached to a republican fyftem of govern- ment. They apprehended that thofe whom their own ambitious » March 9. views Q^U E E N A N N E. 253 views had joined to that party, would, either from intereft or ^ ^^ P- revenge, abet the religious opinions and civil prejudices of the y v~— j diflenting proteftants, upon the event of the acceffion of a foreign ' ^' Prince to the throne. Befides, the attachment to the hereditary defcent of the crown, when ingrafted on the firft principles of the church of England, had weighed much with thofe who were moft zealous for her dodlrines. The dangers and the apprehenfions arifmg from popery had vanifhed. The terrors, which had feized the nation, on that head, at the revolution, were afcribed to the arts and machinations of the republican party, in which all dif- fenters were erroneoufly comprehended, to furnifh themfclvcs with an opportunity of rearing their own favourite fabric of go- vernment, on the ruins of a difputed throne S Men fwayed by thefe opinions were eafily induced to liften to ofthehigh- the declared Jacobites, and to follow the inftrudlions of the court "^''"'''^''P^f'y' of St. Germains. The latter deemed the church of England thoroughly in their intereft. The bill to prevent occafional con- formity, and that to grant a year longer to fuch as had negleded to take the oath of abjuration, were fuggefted and abetted by the determined adherents of the pretended Prince of Wales. The firft of thofe bills had failed, through the prevalence of the Whig- party in the houfe of lords; and the latter, through an amend- ment of the peers, became a further fccurity for the fucceflion which it was intended to defeat.^ Two claufes were added, with fuch art to the bill, that the high-church party durft not oppofe them, without endangering their influence with the nation, and declaring themfelves too precpitately for a meafure, which time only could gradually accomplifh. To endeavour either diredlly or indiredlly to defeat the fucceflion, as now limited by law, was declared high-treafon j and the oath of abjuration, a circumftance negleded in the firft bill, was impofed on the whole Irifli nation \ * Stuart-papers, 1703,. *> Journals of tte lords. The 254 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Applications of the ct'U't of St. Ger- jnains The court of St. Germains derived great hopes from the friendly difpofition of the Englifli houfe of commons. But they turned their eyes, with mofl attention, to the Duke of Marl- borough and the Lord Godolphin. The firft, by poflcfling the command of the army, might have effectually fervcd their caufe, had his profeflions been fincere. The latter, though timid in his councils, was a man of abilities, and uniformly attached to the excluded branch of the royal family. Marlborough, whofe great influence in the meafures of the court was known, had made himfelf a party againft the Whigs % by extending, in his own department, his animadverfions to thole members of the houfe of peers, who had diftinguifhed themfelves in oppofiug what was deemed detrimental to the eventual fuccelTion of the family of Hannover ''. He was, therefore, juefled by the pre- tended Prince of Wales, through his emiffaries, to enter into an immediate treaty; the terms of which were, to leave Queen Anne in pofTelTion of the crown during her ovv-n life, provided fhe would fecure the fucceflion to her brother at her death'. To effeduate this fecurity, the a€t of occafional -conformity was not thought fufKcient ; though the church of England feemed to conclude, that her own fafety was involved in the reftoration of the hereditary defcent of the crown into its former channel ^ He therefore propofed, that the adl of fettlement itfelf Ihould be repealed ; a thing, he thought, not impradicable in the prefent difpofition of the parliament. •to Marlbo- rough. The fervants of the pretended Prince, at the fame time, en- deavoured, through Marlborough, to reconcile the Queen herfelf to their views, by applying to her feelings, and propofing various expedients. They, infinuated that, confidering the juftice and piety of Anne, it was not to be fuppofed, that fhc would obftruft ' Hannover-papeis, 1703. * Stuart-papers, 1703. 5 * The E. of Rivers to Bulau, April 9, 1703. f Ibid. the '7^3. Q^U E E N ANNE. 255: tRe eventual fucceffion of her brother; a meafure which, they ^ ^^ ^• faid, fhe owed to her own glory, the memory of her father, and her folemn engagements to that Prince. They affirmed, that it was not to be thought, (he would contribute to exclude her own family, i-n favour of a ftranger, the mofl; dillant relation flie had in the world ^. To facilitate, therefore, the execution of the fcheme, which they earneftly wifhcd her to adopt, they infinuated, that the putting her brother in an immediate pofleffion of the crown of Scotland, would be the mofl: effedlual means for fecuring to him the eventual fucceffion of the crown of England ; and that this decifive meafure would be attended with little difficulty, confidering, that the majority of parliament, in the two king- doms, were apparently well affected to the hereditary fucceffion of the throne \ To this extraordinary, and perhaps, impradicable proje£f, A mamag? deftined to be laid before the Queen, the agents of the court of with his St. Germains, fhewed an inclination to confirm Marlborough in '*"S^t«" the caufe of their mafler, by engaging his own ambition. His only fon, the Marquis of Blandford, having died at Cambridge, on the twentieth of February, the Duke had no profpedl of tranfmitting his name to poflierity through the male line. Of four daughters, two were already married, the eldefl: to the fon of the Lord Godolphin, and the fecond to the earl of Sunderland. Colonel Sackville, who had, during the late reign, carried on the correfpondence between Marlborough and the court of St. Ger- mains, and who had always free accefs to the Duke, propofed a; marriage between his third daughter and the pretended Prince of Wales. How Marlborough received the propofal is uncertain. But the negociation feems not to have ended with the prefent year. The adherents of the family of Hannover, either ap- prifed of this projedled connexion, or willing to gain to their own s Stuart-papers, 1703. '' Ibid. party/ I70J. 256 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. party the great influence and weight of Marlborough, formed a fcheme on their fide, to marry this daughter to the cledoral Prince '. The high-flying Tories, and efpecially the Jacobite part of the miniftry, were fo much alarmed at this circumftance, that they even intended to folicit the Queen herfelf to propofe the match between her brother and the Duke's daughter ". Thefe fads are more decifive, with regard to the great power of the Duke himfelf, than proofs of the prudence of thofe by whom the pro- pofals were made. Affairs of DuRiNG thefe fecret tranfadlons In England, projeds for refl:oring the fucceflion in the hereditary line, were carried for- ward with more opcnnefs in Scotland. The prejudices of the people in general, againft the old parliament, were inflamed by the Jacobites and the abettors of prelacy, who hoped, upon a new eledlon, to return a majority of their own party into the houfe. It was aflerted, and even publicly argued, that the par- liament then in being, had never been a regular afl"embly. That it had been called by the Prince of Orange, before he was inverted with the regal title ; and that, having continued fourteen years, a circumfliance utterly inconfiftent with the conftitution of Scot- land, its authority was ufurped, and all its deliberations illegal. Thefe reafons being propagated, and accommodated to the un- fettled humour which prevailed in the kingdom, rendered the people in general loud in their demands for a new parliament. The difpofition of the Court feemed to fuit itfelf to the prefent prejudices of the nation. The old miniftry, who had been con- fidered in the light of Whigs, were removed from the adive departments of the flate. The Earls of Melvil, Marehmont, Selkirk, Leven, and Hyndford were laid afide. The Earl of Seafield, yielding to the temper of the times, was made prefident of the council. The Duke of Queenfberry and the Vifcount ■• George II. '' Stuart-papers, 1704. 4 Tarbar, 1703. Q^U E E N ANN E. 257 Taibat, men equally pliant in the difpofition of their mintis, re- ^ ^^ ,^ ^ ccived the Icals as lecrctaries of ftate; and the Earl of Tullihar- din, who, from favouring the Revolution, had become, through difguft, a Jacobite, was raifcd to the office of lord-privy-fcal '. A COMPLAISANCE to the humour of the times, and, as lliey fuppofed, to the difpofition of the Court, rendered the nev7 miniftry fufpeded of an attachment to the exiled family. The Vifcount Tarbat, in particular, who had been all things to all governments, ever fmce the death of Charles the Firfl, endea- voured to gain the affetTcions of the Jacobites, by procuring from the Queen a proclamation of indemnity". Before the members of the new adminiftration were appointed, the old parliament was diflblved, and another fummoned to meet at Edinburgh, on the fjxth of May. The vehemence of the people, the influence and the weight of government, the adivity of the leaders of the country party, and the zeal of the Jacobites, procured a return of more members, fwayed by high principles for monarchy, than had been known in any parliament fmce the Rcfloration of Charles the Second. But though the majority were enemies to the late Revolution, thefe came under two denominations to the houfe. The open and avowed Jacobites were the leaft dangerous, as they made no fecret of their real defigns. But the country- party, as they afFe3' Q^U E E N A N N E. 273 the French, they had been returned, in a kind of difmantled ftate, to the Spaniards, whofe poverty as well as negligence prevented them from being ever thoroughly reftorqd to their former ftrength. They furnifhcd, therefore, the allies with a fucceffion of triumphs ; and, by buoying up their minds with an appear- ance of fuccefs, encouraged them to continue the war with vigour. The campaign of the year 170^ was, upon the whole, fa- Campaign !■ T-. r r T-i rL general ta- vourable to the houfe of Bourbon. The progrefs of the Eleaor vourabie for of Bavaria, in the heart of Germany, had reduced the family of Auftrla into great ftraits ; while, at the fame time, an infurredion in Hungary diftracSted their councils, and fpread devaftation to the gates of Vienna. In Italy, the defedion of the Duke of Savoy had not hitherto produced any fortunate change for the Em- peror ; and on the Upper Rhine, the arms of that Prince were attended with a degree of misfortune. Though the French had iofl: fome towns in Flanders, the progrefs made by the allies was inconfiderable. They failed in their attempts on the ftrong lines formed by the enemy for the protection of Flanders ; and in the only adion of confequence which happened on that fide, they had loft fome trophies as well as the field. Though the bigotry of Lewis the Fourteenth had kindled the flames of war in the heart of his own dominions, by forcing, by feverities, the Proteftants in the Cevennes into an infurrecStion, no effedual advantage was taken of a circumftance, which the allies might have greatly im- proved in their own favour. Nothing memorable happened at fea, during the fummer of AfFairs at the prefent year. The combined fleet of England and Holland, *^' imder Sir Cloudfley Shovel, failed ' into the Mediterranean, and returned without meeting an enemy to their own ports ^. In f Julj K { Oft. 33. Vol. it. N a fome »703. S74 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. fome adlions of little confcquence and lefs name, the French feem to have had the advantage. 1 he Eng'i(h were repulfed at Gua- daloupe, in May \ Rooke endeavoured, in vain, to make a defcent on Belle-Ifle, on the fixth of June *. A Dutch convoy was attacked by the French, to the north of Scotland, on the tenth of Auguft ''. The fhips of war efcorting the fleet were beaten, and fome of the veflels themfelves taken. An unac- countable languor feems to have prevailed in all the operations of *he maritime powers. They formed no expedition to annoy the enemy on the coaft of Spain, though naked and dcfencelcfs ; and in negledling to intercept the treafure brought by a French fquadron from the Havanna, they furniflied the enemy with additional re- fources for continuing with vigour the war. Sept. The partial and inconfiderable advantages obtained by France Arch-Duke r . , r r r .... declared at fca, and the luccefs of her arms, in conjundion with the Spai^. Bavarians, in the heart of Germany, neither raifed her own hopes, nor depreffed her enemies. The deftdlion of the Duke of Savoy, and, above all, the defertion of the King of Portugal, who could open through his country a paflage into Spain, filled the houfe of Bourbon with great and well-grounded apprehenfions. The gaining from the enemy fuch powerful allies, induced the Emperor to avow to the world, his defign to rtcijver to his family the poffeflion of the crown of Spain. Having, therefore, toge- ther with his eldeft fon, the King of the Romans, renounced every perfonal title to the Catholic throne, his fecond fon, the Arch-Duke Charles, was crowned at Vienna, the beginning of September. A few days ' after this ceremony was performed, the Arch-Duke, now called Charles the ThirJ King ot^ -Spain, left Vienna; and direding ivb journey through HollanJ, arrived at the Fague, on the third of November. Having been ac- knowledged in his new capacity, by all the allies, he was received •■ May 18. * June 6. '' Aug. lo. N. S. • Sept. 19. every Q^U E E N A N N E. 275 V. < — . — ' '703- every where with marks of the higheft rcfpc£t and honour. The CHAP, defign of this Prince was to pafs to Portugal with a confiderable force, efcorted by the combined fleets of the maritime powers ; and, in conjunction with his new ally, Peter the Second, to in- vade the kingdom of Spain. The operations of the Englifh fleet in the Wefl: Indies, were Difgrace in attended neither with glory nor with fuccefs. Admiral Bembow, dies, who commanded the flilps Rationed at Jamaica, and in the neigh- bouring feas, fell in with a French fquadron near Carthagena, on the nineteenth of Auguft 1702. In a running battle, which was renewed, at intervals, for feveral days, the admiral was repeatedly deferted by his captains, his fliip difabled, and his own leg fliot away. The enemy, though much inferior in number and ftrength, made, by thefe means, a fafe retreat. Bembow, after this difgraceful, as well as unfortunate adtion, returned to Jamaica. On the fixth of Odlober, he iflued a commiffion for the trial of captain Kirby and captain Wade. They were found guilty of cowardice, breach of orders, and negle£l of duty ; and, being fent to England under their fentence, they fuffered death, at Plymouth, on the fourteenth of April, 1704. The admiral himfelf having languifhed for fome time, under the wound received in the engagement, died at Jamaica; and the regret which he exprefled in his laft moments for the treachery of the condemned captains, feemed to have enfured their unhappy fate. During thefe tranfadions between the confederates and the war in Po •houfe of Bourbon, the war in Poland was carried on with re- " * doubled ardour. The King of Sweden having quitted the neigh- bourhood of Cracow, defcended with his army along the courfe of the Viftula. King Auguftus employed himfelf in calling together fruitlefs diets. In an alTembly of his adherents at Thorn, it was N n 2 refolved »703- 276 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. refolved to acquaint the King of Sweden, that Poland had ac- cepted the mediation of the Emperor ; and that, Ihould Charles flill perfift in rcfufing to enter into a negociation, the Republic fhould declare war againft Sweden. But what one pretended diet eftabliflied, was overturned by another ; and Charles feemcd to have more adherents in Poland, than Auguftus himfelf. The firft of thefe princes preferred a£tion to negociation. Having fuddenly marched out of his camp, he furprifed the Saxons at Pultaufck, and took their general with his own hand. He laid fiege to Thorn, and forced that city, notwithftanding its nume- rous garrifon, to funender at difcretion. King Auguftus was obliged to find in ftrangers, the refources which his own king- dom denied. He applied for aid to the Czar Peter the Second ; who liftened the more readily to the follcitations of Auguftus, that he hoped to fix the feat of the war in Poland ; and to profit by the abfence of Charles, by aggrandizing himfelf in Livonia "■. Parliament While the ncw King of Spain remained at the Hague, con- Nov. '9. certing his future meafures with the States, the parliament of England, after various prorogations, met at Weftminfter ". The Queen, in her fpeech, communicated to the two houfes, her new treaties with Portugal and the Duke of Savoy; and fhe defired fupplles to anfwer the demands of her prefent, as well as for- mer engagements, in the war. She informed her parliament, that though no particular provifion had been made, for the charge either of the expedition intended for Portugal, or the augmen- tation of the troops defired by the States, the funds granted had anfwered fo well, and the produce of the prizes had proved fo confiderable, that no new debt had been incurred, on thefe ac- counts, by the nation. She recommended difpatch in their deli- berations, as neceffary for the fiiccefs of the projeded enterprizes of the war. She exprefled her moft earneft defire of feeing all » Hift. du Nord, torn. ii. * Nov. g. I her Q^U E E N ANNE. 277 her fubje6:s in perfed peace and union among themfelves ; and fhe therefore intrcated them all, to avoid any heats and divifions, that might difappoint her of the fatisfadion fhe had promifed her- felf from their unanimity, and give encouragement to the common enemies of the church and ftate *'. A KIND of hereditary animofity againfl: the French, together The com. with an opinion imbibed by the people, that the houfe of Bour- ' bon aimed at the empire of all Europe, had rendered the prefent war extremely popular in England. Though the laft campaign in Flanders had produced no ftriking event, the advantages ob- tained by the allies were, with fome reafon, afcribed to the valour of the Englilh troops, and efpecially to the fkill and con- dud: of their leader. In fuch a fituation of affairs, the quarrels between parties, were forced to give way to the current of the populace; and, however willing thofe excluded from office might' have been to obftrudl the meafures of government, they prudently avoided oppofition on the fubjedt of the fupply. Having unani- moufly addreifed her Majefty upon her fpeech, the commons proceeded to make the neceffary provifion for the fervice of the ■ fucceeding year. The treaties concluded fmce the recefs of par- - liament, and the eftimates of the army and navy being laid before them, they voted, that forty thoufand men, including five thou- fand marines, fhould be employed for the fea fervice of 1704'';. and that four pounds a man, each month, allowing thirteen for the year, fhould be granted for the fupport of that force ''. To profecute the war with vigour by land, the houfe refolved, unnnimouffy', . that eight hundred and eighty-four thoufand pounds fhould be p^^j^^ ^'''^ granted to her Majefty, for maintaining forty thoufand men, to ad on the continent in conjundion with the allies. They, at the fune time, provided for the Queen^s proportion ' of the fab- • Journals, Nov. 9. p Journals, Nov. 25. "i Nov. 25. . - 53,272 1. fidies 278 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. fidles for part of that force' ; and gave her a further fupply ' for c — — ; maintaining the additional ten thoufand men which her Majefty had raifed at the requifition of the States °. They provided * alfo for eight thoufand men, to a£l in conjunction with the forces of the crown of Portugal ; and they refolved, that a fum, not exceed- ing one hundred and fifty thoufand pounds, fliould be granted, for defraying her Majefty's proportion of thirteen thoufand men, to be maintained by the court of Lifbon. Three hundred and fifty-feven thoufand pounds were granted for guards, garrifons, and invalids ; near one hundred and twenty thoufand pounds, for the land-fervice to be performed by the office of ordnance \ The houfe prefented an addrefs to the Queen, affuring her Majefty, that they would make good all her engagements with the Duke of Savoy. A dreadful DuRiNG thefc tranfadions in parliament, an uncommon cala- mity fell upon the kingdom. In the night of the twenty-fixth of November, the mod violent tempeft ever known in England, fuddenly arofe. The wind blowing from the South-Weft with incredible force and noife, was accompanied with flafhes of light- ning and deluges of rain. Every thing feemed ready to be levelled before the ftorm. Chimneys, roofs of houfes, even buildings and fpires were blown down in the city of London. In the country whole forefts were torn up by the roots. But the tem- peft fell with moft fury and did the moft harm at fea. Befides the lofs fuftained by private perfons, fixteen fhips of the royal navy were caft away. The damage done in London and Weftminfter alone, was eftimated at a million fterling. But as, the calamity was not univerfal, the country fuffered not in the fame propor- tion. The commons addrefled her Majefty upon the occafion. They told her, that they could not fee a diminution of her navy, = Nov. 27. ■ i7S,iPoI. • Nov. 18. * 176,4.811, * Nov. 30. without QJJ E E N A N N E. '279 without making provifion for repairing the fame. They there- CHAP, fore, defired the Queen *o build fuch capital fliips as (he fhould » . _f think fit ; and they piomifcd, at their next meeting, to make '^°^' good the expence. The ftorm which had done fuch damage In England, was felt New King of with the fame feverity in Plolland. The dykes having been England! broken dowii in Friezeland, by the violence of the waves, one fourth part of that province was laid under water. A fquadron of men of war, under Admiral Calemberg, deftined for the ex- pedition wich the new King of Spain, to Portugal, was driven from the mouth of the Texel, to the coaft of Norway. Of the Engllfh (hips intended for that fervice, and lying in the Maefe,. fome were ftranded and others loft. The damage, however^ was, in fome meafure, repaired, in the fpace of three weeks ; and, on the twenty-third of December, Charles the Third embarked for England, eicorted by the Englilh and Dutch fquadrons. '1 hat Prince arriving at Spithead, on the twenty-fixth of December,, was conduded by the Duke of Somerfet to Windfor, where her Majefty received him with great magnificence. Having remained at that place two days, he repaired again to Fortfmouth, and failed from Spithead, on the fifth of January, with a favourable wind. But a ftorm arifing, in the Bay of Bifcay, the fleet was difperfed and driven back to the channel. Sir George Rooke, the admiral, on board of whofe fhip was the King of Spain, returned to St. Helen's, on the twentieth of January. Great diligence and adli- vity were ufed in refitting the fhips. But it was the twelfth of February, before a favourable wind enabled the fleet to make the: beft of its way to Portugal. The unanimity in parliament, with regard to fijpplies for pro- ,_p._ fecutine the war, v/as difturbed, by the renewal of a former Biliagamft ° _ ^ _ occ-iUonal quarrel, between the Whigs and Tories. The latter, favouring confomiry. 4, the 28o HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the church, introduced again into the houfe of commons, the bill againft occafional conformity, which had been loft in the preced- ing feffion. This meafure had been neither unforefeen nor unex- pected by their opponents, and it threw the houfe into violent debates. The high-church party, however, prevailed. The bill foon pafTed the commons, and was fent to the lords. The Whigs flill maintained in the upper-houfe a majority. They were, at lead, more powerful there, through their fuperior a£l:ivity and zeal. The Queen herfelf, notwithftanding her prcdiledion for the church of England, was cold with regard to a bill, that feemed fo highly favourable to the eftablifhed religion. She hud been terrified with reports, that the Jacobites connected their views in favour of her brother, with the fuccefs of this bill ; and there cer- 4Uiinly exifted fome reafon for this apprehenfion. The miniftry, during the dependence of the bill, were left to their own opinions. Marlborough and Godolphin, who were too prudent not to appear attached to the proteftant fucceffion, voted for the bill. Other lords in office gave their fufFrages on the other fide. The bifhops themfelves were almoft equally divided upon the votes ; and the bill was, at length, rejected, by a majority of thirteen voices \ jiScotifh The bill againft occafional conformity was not the only topic, upon which the Whigs endeavoured, in this feffion, to deprefs the Tories. During the warm debates on that fubjefl, a circumftance arofe, that greatly contributed to the vidory which the former party obtained. The Queen acquainted the two houfes, on the feventeenth of December '', that fhe had received unqueftionable informations of defigns carried on againft her government in Scotland, by the agents and emifiaries of France. The two houfes received differently this intelligence. The lords, led by fome Whigs of ability and eagernefs, grafped at every thing calculated to raife the jealdufy of the nation againft the Tories. The majo- * Journals of the lords. ' 'jO?. rity 1704. -/]/': CLUE EN ANNE. 281 rity of the commons, being compofed of the latter party, confi- ^ ^^ ^• dered the whole as the ftale contrivance of a fham-plot : an expe- dient, they affirmed, often ufed with fuccefs by their political antagonifts. Writers infeded with the partialities of the two parties, have given various and oppofite accounts of an affair, too frivolous to command the attention of the public, had not the minds of mankind been previoufly inflamed, by the animofities fubfifting between two powerful factions. The principal a£lor in this political piece, and, perhaps, its Charafterof , Simon Fra- author, was Captam Simon Frafer, afterwards well known to the fer. world by the title of Lord Lovat. Born with infinuating talents, but rather forward than agreeable in his addrefs, he exerted his whole force upon mankind, through the channel of their vanity. His flattery, though too obvious to efcape even the obfervation of the weak, was too llrong to be refifted entirely by men of fenfe. He feemed fo eager in bellowing praife, that thofe who approved the leaft of his manner, afcribed his adulation to his want of judg- ment, with regard to others, more than to his own defigns, Def- titute of principle and defpifing veracity as ufelefs, he accommo- dated all his a£tions to his immediate intereft; and all his words to the purpofe of deceiving the credulous into his views. Habi- tuated, through time, to this abandoned condud, he became, in a manner, incapable of deviating from it ; and thus his profligacy, by being generally known, carried its own antidote in itfelf. In the execution of his own projeds, though generally formed with little judgment, he was bold and fearlefs. He neither underfliood thofe laid by others, nor purfued them, either with fplrit or with attention. Though unfteady in his difpofition, and hourly vary- ing his fchemes, he never fwerved from the great line of felf- interefl; ; and thus, notwithftanding his natural levity and incon- ftancy, he fucceeded by perfeverance. Vol. II. O o SoxME 282 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Some adions, that brought upon Frafer the higheft anunad- verfion of the laws in Scotland, had made him famous in that king- His crhnes. ^^m before his intrigues attradled the notice of the parliament of England. Being defcended, though at fome diflance, from the fa- mily of the Lord Lovat, chief of the clan of Fraiers, in the county of Invernefs, he had received in the year 1694, the commiffion of a lieutenant in the Earl of Tullibardin's regiment, by the recom- mendation of his relation, who was married to the fifter of that nobleman. He, however, foon loft the preferment which he had obtained, through fome feditious letters which he wrote, and had fallen into the hands of the carl. Retiring to the Highlands, he lived for fome time with his father, at Beaufortj a farm which they had obtained, for a fubfiftence, from the Lord Lovat. That nobleman, dying in the year 1696, left four daughters. Thomas Frafer of Beaufort and his fon Simon, colleding fome diforderly perfons, attempted to fcize the eftate, as neareft male heirs. Terrified, however, by a profecution -at law, they formally re- nounced their claims. But, in the month of September 1697, Simon Frafer entered, with an armed force, the houfe of the wi- dow of the Lord Lovat, f^Izcd her perfon, ordered the marriage ceremony to be pronounced, in the midft of the found of a bag- pipe, with which he endeavoured to drown the lady's cries, and having ftript her naked, by cutting ofF her fl;ays "with his dagger, forced her to bed and confummated the pretended marriage, amidft the noife and riot of his defperate attendants y. He is par- PURSUED with fome troops, by the lady's father, the Marquis King wil- of Athol, Frafer was forced to abandon the kingdom. The coun- cil of Scotland and the court of jufticiary, before whom he was profecuted, declared him a rebel, fugitive, and out-law, offering a reward to any that fhould feize his perfon. He fled to France, and applied to the court of St. Germains, for fubfiftence. But the ^ Trial of Frafer. Accountof Scotch plot. Lockhart's Mem. kte liam. 1704. QJJ E E N ANNE. 283 late King James, offended at his profligacy, and having heard of his crimes, would neither receive his advances, nor admit him into his prefence % Defpalring of fuccefs with the abdicated fa- mily, he refolved to aflume the merit of betraying their councils to the reigning Prince. In confideratloa of prefent or promlfed fervlces, he obtained, through the means of the noted Carftares, one of King William's chaplains, and a kind of favourite, a par- don for his rebellion and other public crimes. The rape upon the widow of the Lord Lovat, not being mentioned in the pardon, Frafer was profecuted for that crime by the lady and her friends. He was forced again to retire to France, in the year 1702 ; but not, perhaps, without inftrudlons for his condud: in that king- dom, from Mr. Carflares and men of great rank of the fame party. The Duke of Argyle, in particular, was his patron and friend, from an hereditary feud between his family and that of Athol i which laft, on account of the rape, were the enemies of Frafer. The Earl of MIddleton, who then poffeffed the m oft credit at Flies a^^iit St. Germains, had adopted the bad opinion entertained by the late King James of the charafter of Frafer. The latter, therefore, applied to Queen Mary, through Sir John Maclean ; and, as that unfortunate Princefs grafped at every vain hope held forth to her fon, fhe treated Frafer with kindnefs, and recommended him to the Pope's nuncio*. Having gained the confidence of that prelate, by reconciling himfelf to the church of Rome, he was Introduced by him to the Marquis de Torcy, as a perfon that promlfed to be ferviceable to the views of the court of France. Lewis the Four- teenth himfelf is faid to have had an interview with Frafer. But either diftrufting his incredible promlfes, with regard to an infurrec- tion In Scotland, or unwilling to hazard either his men or money, without further fecurity, he made him a prefent of five hundred Louis d'Ors, and defircd him to return to his own country, to * Lockhart's Mem. Stuart-papeis. ' Stuart-papers. O o 2 bring 1704. HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. bring credentials from thofe perfons over whom he pretended to have fo much power. But as the King could not altogether rely upon credentials procured by fuch an unknown adventurer, hefirft refolved to fend along with him, a Frenchman. The fending o£ a Frenchman to Scotland, lying under infuperable objedlions, Lewis found hlmfelf obliged to apply to the court of St. Germains» for a fuitable perfon a native of that kingdom. fsm^cTc £f The requeft of the French King were commands to the Earl bvQueenf- of Middleton. He received Frafer with a degree of confidence t and gave him, as a credential to the friends of the exiled family, a commilTion as colonel from his young mafter\ The indemrtity granted in Scotland, by Queen Anne, in the March of 1 703, ren- dered it fafe for any of the adherents of the court of St. Germains to return to that kingdom. An officer of the name of Murray, under the protedlon of the indemnity, was fent, as a check upoa Frafer, and to bring back intelligence of the.flate of opinions and difpofition of parties in Scotland. Frafer, attended by this gentle- man, arrived in London, He direded his courfs to Scotland, and v;as met, on the borders of that kingdom, by the Duke of Argyle* He was from thence conduced, by that nobleman, to the Duke of Qiieenfberry, who held, as commiflioner, a parliament at Edin- burgh. The commiffioner having deferted the Jacobite fadioa in the houfe, to whom he had vowed fidelity, perceived, that by their joining with the country party, they poflefFed the power as well as the inclination of being revenged. He, therefore, grafped with eagernefs at the informations, which Frafer, either from vanity or malice, gave againft his enemies. He knew, that even to fix a fufpicion of a correfpondence with France, upon the leaders of oppofition, would not only ruin their credit with go- vernment, but deftroy their influence with the nation. To enable Frafer to execute his inftru€lions with facility and freed<)m, he * Stuart-papers, 17C3. granted Q^U E E N ANNE. 285 granted him a pafs to fecure him from heing feized, in obedience ^ ^^^ ^* to the letters of fire and fword, which had been iffued agaxnft him v^ . ' r , e '704- on account or the rape . Eraser finding fuch a powerful fupport In Queenfberry, re- Goesoverto -■.,.-.,. • r 1 • T T France to lolved, in fervmg his patron, to gratify his own revenge. Hav- procure ing received, from the exiled Queen, a letter without an addrefs,. ^'°° '" for the Duke of Gordon, he tranfmitted a copy of it to that noble- man, and retained the original in his own polfeflion, as intended for his great enemy the Duke of Athol \ The commiflioner having conceived an averfion to the Lord Tarbat, lately created Earl of Cromarty, Frafer dexteroufly contrived to afcribe the de- claration of indemnity, obtained in the preceding year from- Queen Anne> to liis lordfhip's correfpondence with the court of St. Germains. The Duke of Hamilton's principles were already known. But no accufation of confequence could be carried home to him, on the prefent occafioru Frafer, in the mean time, was permitted to roam through the Highlands, to endeavour to extort promifes from the chiefs, to rife in arms for the pretended Prince of Wales. His fuccefs was not equal either to his promifes or the expedations of his patron. When the parliament of Scotland was adjourned, on the fixteenth of September, he repaired to London, and his allegations not amounting to a fufficient proof, he was provided with money and a pafs, under a borrowed name, by the Duke of Queenfberry, who applied for that purpofe to the Earl of Nottingham, fecretary of ftate. With the pafs, he tranf- ported himfelf fafely to Holland, and from thence found means to convey himfelf again to Paris. His defign was to procure fuch. letters to Queenfherry's enemies and his own, as might hurt their reputation with the world, if not deftroy their perfons and ruin their fortunes'". ■, . , * Lockhart's Mem. * Stuart-papers, 1704. » Lockhart's Mem. Journals of the lords. Stuart- pagers.. Having. t%6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. Having arrived at Paris, in the beginning of January 1704, ' /— / he prefented a memorial to the exiled Qiieen, containing a long and is thrown account of his own proceedings in Britain, in favour of the tlUc!^^ ^^^ pretenfions of her fon '. Though he conneded his detail with thofe perfons of rank of the oppofite party with whom he had converfed, it bore fidlion fo apparently on its face, that Mid- dleton, who always doubted the honefty of Frafer, was con- vinced of the impofture. He amufed him, however, with cold but polite letters ; while, at the fame time, he wrote to the Marquis de Torcy, exprefling his doubts concerning his fidelity; and fignifying his wifhes that he might be fecured. Captain James Murray, who had been fent to Scotland to difcovcr the truth of Frafer's intereft and connexions in that kingdom, re- turned, in the mean time, to St. Germains. The accounts which he gave of the ftate of the country and operations of Frafer, were fo diametrically oppofite to that prefented by the latter to the exiled Queen, that no doubts remained of his treachery. Repeated intelligence from England of the difcoveries made by the parliament and privy council, ftrengthened the proof to fuch a degree, that Frafer, after having amufed Mid- dleton with a feries of letters, concerning his own importance, his influence in Scotland, and his loyalty to the excluded family, was thrown, at length, into the Baflille ^ This plot dif. The vanity of Frafer, his incontinence of language, and" a Fcrgufon/ defire of raifing his own confequence with his noble employer, the Duke of Queenfberry, by fpreading far and wide the bottom of his plot, had betrayed him into miftakes, which prevented the execution of his defigns. Having, when he returned to Lon- don, opened his proje£ls, in favour of the pretended Prince of Wales, to the famous Fergufon, a more experienced plotter, the latter perceiving his character, fufpeded his integrity. Under- f Stuart-papers, 1704. * Ibid. .... - 2 Ikrlding, 1704- .VA: Q^U E E N ANNE. ' ' 187 ftanding, at the fame time, from Frafer hlmfelf, that he was often in conference with the miniftry of Scotland ; and having feen the pafs which he had obtained from the Earl of Notting- ham, through the influence of the Duke of Queenfberry, he wrote his fufpicions to the Duke of Athol, one of the noblemen accufed. The Duke, confcious that he had never correfponded nor received either meflage or letter from the court of St. Ger- malns ^ complained openly to the Queen of the conduit of Queenfberry and his partizans, in protefting an outlaw, who was hatching the moft pernicious defigns. Queenfberry, to vin- dicate hlmfelf declared, that he had protedled Frafer, in Scotland, upon his promifing to make great difcoveries; and that he had procured for him a pafs, for tranfporting hlmfelf, to procure folid proofs of his own vague aiTertions. He infinuated, at the fame time, that, had not the matter come fo foon to light, he doubted not but he fliould meet with fuccefs ; and to ftrengthen his opi- nion, he delivered to Queen Anne, as for the Duke of Athol, the letter, intended by the exiled Queen, for the Duke of Gordon. The Scotlfh plot had arrived at this flate, when it fell under Proceedings tlie cognizance ot the houle or lords. A committee was imme- parliament, diately appointed, by ballot, for the examination of papers and witnefles ; and the choice fell on the leaders of the Whig-party. The houfe of commons, compofed chiefly of Tories, found an opportunity of oppoflng their weight againfl: the proceedings of the peers. Some fufpeded perfons, and among others, Sir John Maclean, having being feized, upon their arrival from France^ on the coaft of England, the lords, by their own authority, ordered them to be brought before them to be examined. The commons addrefTed the Queen in favour of the prerogative of the Crown J and complained, that the lords, in violation of the ' Stuart-papers, 1704. known 288 CHAP. V. ' « ' 1704. HISTORY or GREAT BRITAIN. known laws of the land, had wrefted the prlfoners out of her Majefty's hands ; and in a moft extraordinary manner, taken the examination which belonged to the Queen and council folely to themfelves. The plot, from this moment, became obvioufly a topic ofanimofity and difpute between the Whigs and Tories. But the heats between the parties were not fufficient to keep long depend- ing this matter, efpecially on an evidence which could carry home no well-grounded charge of treafon to any particular perfon. The curiofity and fears of the nation were foon diffipated ; and the whole affair funk into the oblivion which it dcferved '. gauon. rufputes be- The difference between the houfes concerning the examination tween '"^ r i 1 . . • houfes occa- of the plot, was heightened by a difpute of another kind. One ion a proro- ^jj^^y. j^^^ commenced an a£lion againft White, mayor of AileC- bury, for refufing to admit his vote in the eledion of members to ferve for that borough in parliament. The caufe was carried, by appeal, before the houfe of peers, where judgment was given in favour of Afhby. The interference of the lords in matters of election, threw the commons, already offended, into a violent flame. They afferted their exclufive right to the fole cognizance of all matters concerning elections ; and their votes were anfwered by counter refolutions of the lords. To put an end to difputes, which feemed daily to increafe, through the inveterate animofity between the parties, the Queen clofed the feffion, on the third of April, with a fpeech from the throne. Having thanked the commons for their large fupplies, Ihe recommended that unani- mity between the houfes which had been loft in their difputes, as nothing could fo much contribute to the fuccefs of the nation abroad, and their fafety and happinefs at home '% Journals of both houfes. Journals, April 3, 1704. CHAP. Ml Q.UEEN ANt^J'E. 2«9 C H A P. VI. State of parties,'^-— Tories difmljjed, Campaign of jyo^.. ■ Attack at Donawert. Battle of Blenheim. Its great ■ confeqnences. Campaign in Flanders and Portugal, and in '•' Italy. •• Gibraltar taken.'— —Battle of Malaga. /Iff airs of ■■■' the North. Secret intrigues of Marlborough. Affairs of '' Scotland. Intrigues of parties. A^ offecurity. ■ Re- flexions. Secret negociations . Parliament of England meets.— —-^St ate of parties. Bill of occafional confonnity. Proceedings. • Marlborough^ s ititrigiies ivith the court of St. ■ Germains. ^tarrel betiveen the hoifes. Affairs of Ire- land, Godolphin intimidated, joins the Whigs.— —Par lia- - 7nent diffohed. Campaign of 1 705. Death and character of the Emperor. ■■ ■ Campaign in Flanders, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Succefs in Spain. — —Affairs of the North. Affairs of Scotland. Intrigues of the Jacobites.— —AX for treating about an u7iion. A new parliament in England.— Proceedings. Inconfiflency of the Tories. Motion for in- n}iting the Princefs Sophia. Bill of regency. Proceedings Kvith regard to Scotland. Parliament prorogated. Secret conduSl of Godolphin. Campaign of 1706. Battle of Ra- miUies. Conquef of Flanders. Battle of Turifi. Suc- cefs of the allies in Spain. Campaign in Germany. Naval tranfaXions.-^ Affairs oj the North. Articles of imion fettled. Scotiflj affairs. Intrigues of the Jacobites. Tumults and debates. Argianents againjl the union. The articles approved.^— 'Refleclions . — — Peace offered by France. •—Parliament of England ratifies the union. D'flrefs and pre- parations of France. — Campaign ofiyoy. — Battle ofAlmatiza. — Siege of Toulon.— — InaXive campaigJi in Flanders. TH E differences which had happened between the two CHAP, houfes of parliament, being confidered as a quarrel of ^_ _^f ^_j parties, had raifed a ferment among their adherents, throughout ^''°f Vol. II, P p the parties '704. 390 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the kingdom. The Whigs, having prevailed in the houfe of lords, had carried the hrgheft praifes of that afl'embly to the prefs, mixed vi^ith the grofleft invedives on the commons, who favoured the principles of their political opponents. The conteft for the pofTeflion of pov?er, which had ever been the principle motive for the violences of both fides, was managed, as ufual, upon topics calculated to engage the minds of the people. The Whigs aver- red, that religion was in danger, from a fixed defign of the Tories to defeat the proteftant fiiccefTion. The Tories, on their part, affirmed, that the Whigs extended their views to the fubverfioa of monarchy itfelf, and the ruin of the church of England. A credulous multitude were thus tofled between the vlciffitudes of hopes and fears, in proportion as either party found means to ac- commodate their own allegations to the principles or prejudices of the vulgar. The Earl of SoME changes made In the mi niflry after the prorogation of Nouingham parliament, rendered the high-church party diflatisfied, without gaining the confidence of the Whigs. The Earl of Nottingham, a man of vehement principles, with regard to the high preroga- tives of the crown and an implicit faith In the church, was re- moved from the office of fecretary of fiate. Nottingham had owed to his fin€t adherence to his- party, an Importance to which he was not entitled by his abilities. Though not deftitute of ta- lents for bufinefs, his extreme loquacity' raifed fufplclons concern- ing the folldity of his underftanding ; and he was fo much wed- ded to his political opinions, that he could hardly live in common charity with men of moderate principles, either In church or ftate"'. His attachment to the church had rendered him averfe to the meafin-es o-f King James, while that Prince fat upon the throne. But his zeal for the indefeafible rights of monarchy induced him, afterwards, to favour the views of his family. He oppofed the abjuration of the Prince of Wales with fuch vehemence, that he » MS Notes, by Bean Swift. '■ Macky's charadtsr. 6 is QJJ E E N A N N E. ' 291 is faid to have fiied tears when the bill pafled. But he was too ^ ^^f^ ^' prudent, or, perhaps, too timid, to rifque, like many others pof- •' fefled of the fame principles, any dired correfpondencc with the excluded family % ' ' " -^The refignation of Nottingham was attended by the removal and feverai of other adherents of the high-church, from fome departments of miffed. importance. The Earl of Jerfey, a man who, with a very ordi- nary underftanding, had pafled through feverai of the greatefl: offices in the kingdom, was deprived of the ftaff of lord chamber- lain ; which the Earl of Kent was faid to have purchafed with money, from the influence of the Duchefs of Marlborough with the Queen''. Sir Edward Seymour, who through the courfe of a long life had, in a manner, avowed his attachment to the ex- cluded family, but had complied with the times, was difmifled from the ofiice of comptroller of the Queen's houfehold. Blaith- waite, who had enjoyed, for many years, the place of fecretary at war, was removed, more, perhaps, from the conveniency of hav- ing his office to beftow upon another, than for any exceptions againfl: either his own principles or condn£t. Men who judged fuperficially of things, looked upon thefe changes as the confe- quences of an alteration of fyftem in the cabinet ; and afcribed to their own miftaken opinion concerning the principles of the lord- treafurer, what had adually proceeded from his prudence. NoTwiTHSTANDiT^G the chearfulnefs with which the com- Harieyan* mons granted the fupplles for the w?.r, and their firm adherence vanced. to Tory principles, the lord-treafurer and the Duke of Marlbo- rough perceived, from the complexion of the houfe of lords in the lafl: feffion of parliament, that a powerful oppofition to govern- ment was to be apprehended from the Whigs. They perfuaded, tlierefore, the Queen, that it was neceflfary either to fway or < Stuart-papers. d Publications of the times, P p 2 break 1704. ?92 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. break the party, by bringing into office fome of its reputed mem- bers '. Harley, then fpeaker of the houfe of commons, though he had uniformly oppofed the meafures of King "William, waSi deemed, in principles, a Whig, from his being bred a diflenter. He, however, was fuppofed too prudent to facrifice his own in- tereft to the views of party ; and as his talents for managing bu- fmefs in the houfe of commons were known and acknowledged, he became a great objed of acquifition to the -Lord Godolphin. Harley, therefore, was firft fworn in at the council-board; and foon after appointed fecretary of flate, in the room of the Earl of Nottingham. The office of comptroller-general was beflowed on Mr. Manfel, his friend; and his recommendation placed', at the fame time, Mr. St, John, afterwards Lord Vifcount Bolingbroke, Iq the place of fecretary at war, vacant by the removal of Mr. Blaith-^ waite. Campaign of This expedient, however, would have been found infufficient againfl the intended oppofition of the Whigs ^ had not the fm- gular fuccefs of the campaign impofed lilence upon thofe who had prepared themfelves for blaming the treafurer and for accufing the Duke of Marlborough. The latter having, in the beginning of the year, vifited Holland, and concerted the operations of the campaign with the States, had returned to England before the prorogation of parliament. To carry into execution the plan which he had formed and weighed, he embarked at Harwich, on the nineteenth of April. The fuccefs of the two laft campaigns> having rendered the allies mafters of the Maefe and Spanifh Guel- derland, fuch a flrong barrier had been formed on the fide of Flanders, that a fmall number of forces were deemed fufficient to proted the frontiers of the States, againft the efforts of the ene- my. Marlborough having found means to convince the Dutch of their fecurity, in that quarter, propofed to march into the heart of ' Hannovcr-papers, 1704. ^ Ibid. s Ibid. Germany, Qjy E E N A N N E. ' 293 Germany, to prote<£t the Emperor, now almofl: threatened with chap. the Tiege of his capital, by the joint force of the French and " j ' Bavarians. The threatened march of the Eledor, at the head of the com- Marlborough bined army, into the hereditary dominions of the houfeof Auftria, was not, however the only thing that alarmed the Emperor and continued his fears. The infurgents in Hungary, encouraged by France, had poflefled themfelves of feveral important places, and cifered their aid to the enemy. Leopold, unable, to reprefs their infolence, was forced to fhut his eyes on their rebellion \ He applied, as his laft refort, to the Queen of England, through Count Wratiflaw, his envoy-extraordinary at the court of London. This minifter prefented, on the fecond of April, a memorial to Queen Anne, containing an afFeding ftate of the diftreffcd con^ dition of his mafter's affairs. The refolution for relieving the Emperor, by carrying the war into Bavaria, which had been pre- vioufly taken, was haftened by this requifition. The Duke of Marlborough, having fettled affairs with the States, left the Hague on the fifth of May, under the pretence of a defign to carry the war to the banks of the Mofelle, and, by that river to penetrate into France, while every thing had been prepared for the real ex- pedition to Bavaria and the Danube. Having paffed through Utrecht to Ruremond, and from the intoGer- latter place to Maeftricht, Marlborough as he advanced, ordered the Britifh and other troops to join and march towards Coblentz, at the confluence of the Rhine and Mofelle. D' Auverquerque, deflined to command the army left for the defence of the Dutch frontiers, met the Duke at Maeftricht; and his Grace advancing through Juliers, arrived in the camp near Coblentz, on the twenty-fifth of May. Croffing the Rhine at that place, and fucceffively the '' Hift. lie 1' Empire d' Allemagne, torn. vii. Maine 1704. j^9i4 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. Maine and the Neckar, he was met at Mondelfheim by Prince Eugene of Savoy. To join the army under the duke to the Im- perial troops, led by the Prince of Baden, was the refult of a confuhation between thefe diftinguilhed commanders. Prince Eugene having haftened to Phllipfburg, to take upon himfelf the command of the army on the Upper-Rhine, the duke advanced toward the Danube, and joined the Imperialifts, at Wefterftetten ; and having arrived on the river Brentz, on the twenty eighth of June, he placed his camp within two leagues of the Elec- tor of Bavaria's army. The troops of the allies confifted of ninety-fix battalions of foot, and two hundred and two fquadrons ef horfe and dragoons, provided with forty-four pieces of field cannon, four howitzers, and twenty four pontons. The force of the enemy was inferior in point of numbers, confifting only of eighty-eight battalions of foot, and one hundred and fixty fqua- drons of horfe. But they had ninety pieces of cannon, forty mortars and howitzers, and thirty pontons '. Attack at The generals of the. allies having, in a council of war, refolved to attack Donawert, on the Danube, forced the enemy's intrench- ments before the place, with the lofs of five thoufand men, on each fide. This adlion happened on the fecond of July ; and, the next day, Donawert was deferted by the Bavarians; and thus, the allies obtained by their vidtory a bridge over the river, while they feparated from one another the troops of the enemy_ ftationed on the Upper and Lower Danube. The pofition gained by the allies was not, however, fufficient to enable them to pene- trate into Bavaria % without removing themfelves too far from Nu-' remberg and Nortlingen, from whence they drew their fupplies. To avoid a battle, in the Eledor of Bavaria and the French, was ultimately to force the allies to retire back to the Maine. But the Eledlor having been reinforced with a frerti army ' Returns of the armies. '' Hift, de France, torn. Hi. under QJJ E E N ANNE. 295'. under the command of the Marefchal de Tallaid, refalvcd, after a- t: H a p. fhort negociation into which he had entered to amufe the allies, <_ -. ' _, to abandon his own fate and that of his country, to the event of a '''''^' battle. The oppofing armies, after the jundion of Tallard with' the Bavarians, were equal in number^ confifting each, of eighty thoufand combatants'. Though the allies had paffed, without refiftance, the Danube, Situation of , • 1 1 r r • • 1 • ''1^ armies. they were uicapable, lor want or magazmes, either to contmue long on the banks of that river or to penetrate into Bavaria. They wifhed, therefore, with the utmoft; eagsrnefs, to give battle ; and-' they watched for that purpofe every motion of the enemy that might furnifh them with the advantage which they fo-much de- fired. The evil deftiny of France, the ignorance and haughtinefs- of her generals, the Marefchals Tallard and Marfin, together with, the vehemence of the Elector himfelf, offered, at length, the ppr. portunity which the enemy fought after in vain. Prince Eugene, having marched with twenty thoufand men, from the Rhine, to obferve Tallard on his march through the black foreft, had now^ joined the Duke of Marlborough. Having prevailed with the- Prince of Baden to befiege Ingoldftadt, they rid themfelves of the councils of that general, and refolved to give immediate battle to.- the enemy, which the latter, relying upon the ftrength of their; pofitioni, fhewed no inclination to decline. i^HEo French and Bavarians lay encamped with the Danube. Battle oF on their right- The village of Blenheim, on the bank of that- AugJftTi river, flood a little advanced in the front of the right wing c£ their line. Their left was covered with an extenfive thick, wood, from which- ran a rivulet along their front, into the Da- ruibe. This rivulet, as it paffed through the plain, formed an.- siraofl continued morafs, which would have been very difficult to:- ' Mem. du Marq. de Feuquiere, p. 251, pafs. 1704. 296 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. pafs^ }^ad not the French and Bavarians, by a negligence fatal to themlelves, formed their line at a confiderable diftance behind. When the Elector and the marefchals perceived that the enemy, ■who were encamped with their left to the Danube and their right extending to the wood, were refolved to give them battle, they threw twenty-eight battalions and eight fquadrons of dragoonsi, into the village of Blenheim. Eight battalions were, at the fame time, placed in another village, toward the center, with a defign, in conjunftion with thofe at Blenheim, to fall upon the rear of the enemy when they fliould pafs the brook ; and fo place them between two fires. Such was the fituation of the Fi-ench on the morning of the thirteenth of Auguft. Their wretched difpofition infured the lofs of the battle. Their line, confiftiag chiefly of cavalry, formed at the head of their camp, was weakened by thefe large detachments, whilft the enemy were permitted to pafs the morafs, formed by the rivulet, without any refiftance "". The French The Dukc of Marlborough, who commanded the left of the rians^^outed. allies, having formed his line, after paffing the brook, ordered the two villages to be attacked by the infantry, while he himfelf led his cavalry againft thofe of Tallard. After feveral charges, with various fuccefs, the courage of the French horfe began, at length, to abate. They retired behind the fire often battalions, that had advanced while the cavalry were engaged. Thefe fuftained the charge for a confiderable time, againft the Englifh foot. But the duke, In the mean time, having charged home with his horfe the French cavalry, already wavering, drove them in their flight, into the Danube, and moft of thofe who had efcaped the fword, were drowned in that river. The ten battalions of the enemy's foot were, at the fame time, charged on all fides and cut to pieces. Prince Eugene, who commanded on the right, had attacked the Eledor of Bavaria and the Marefchal de Marfin. The Prince, " Mem, da Marq. de Feuquiere. Kane's campaigns. c-...,. 2 however, 1704. Q^U E E N A N N E. 297 however, could make no impreflion on their line. But when ^ ^^^ p< they perceived that Tallard was defeated, they threw themfelves into three columns, and quitted the field with great dexterity and expedition. Had they now fallen on the flank of Marlborough, whofe troops were employed in pillaging the camp of Tal- lard, the vidlory might have been recovered ; or, at leaft, the troops ftationed in the two villages, might have been faved. Thofe at Aberclaw found means to efcape, in the confu- fion. But the twenty-eight battalions of foot and twelve fqua- drons of horfe, in Blenheim, furrendered at difcretion, to the allies. The batde of Blenheim, which feemed to decide the fate of Confe- quences of Germany, turned the whole fcale of the war againft the houfe of the battle Bourbon. The lofs of the French and Bavarians in killed, drowned, wounded, deferters».and prifoners, amounted to near one half of their army. The Marefchal de Tallard himfelf was -among the prifoners. The camp, equipage, baggage, and artillery of the enemy, fell into the hands of the conquerors, together with ■tvery other trophy attending on a complete victory. The battle, however, was not unbloody on the fide of the allies. Fourteen thoufand men were either killed and wounded, and among the ilain feveral officers of high merit and rank. The troops, under Prince Eugene, meeting with the greateft refiftance, fuffered the moft. The Eledor and the Marefchal de Marfin, though they fcarce could be fald to have been routed, retired, with every mark of a defeat, under the cover of night, to Ulm. They remained in that city only one day; and, having direded their rout through the black foreft, joined the Marefchal de Villeroi, on the Rhine. No modern vldlory was ever more complete than that obtained of Blenheim. iy the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim, and none could have more fudden or more important confequences. The conquefts and dominions of the EleiSor of Bavaria fell, at once, into the Vol. II. Q^q hand* 17C4' S98 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. hands of the Emperor, who revenged feverely, upon that Prince's fubje(3:s, the excefles which had been committed by the enemy on his own. An extent of feventy leagues of country, which had fallen into the hands of the vidlors, felt all the miferies and ravages attending upon conqueft. The French, ruined, broken, and dif* perfed, left a free and uninterrupted march to the confederates, from the Danube to the Rhine. The remains of an army that, at the beginning of the year, extended terror to the gates of Vienna, were now forced to take flicker v/ithin the limits of Erance. The vidlors crofled the Rhine. They entered Alface, and the important fortreffes of Landau and Trearbach fell into their hands, before the end of the campaign \ Campaign in The campaign In Flanders being merely defenfive, on both Ponu^gai ^" fides, produced no event, either brilliant or important. Auver- querque, who commanded the allies, on the frontiers of the States, bombarded Namur, without effed, in the month of July. The fame good fortune which had attended the arms of the con- federates on the Danube, Avas not general on every fide of the war. The Archduke Charles, who had taken the title of King of Spain, had landed at Lifoon, on the ninth of March, with eight thoufand Englifh and Dutch forces. Philip the Fifth, ftrengthened with an army of twenty thoufand French, carried the war into Portugal, early in the fpring. Several places, and particularly Portalegre, fell into his hands ; and in various flight rencounters in the field, he defeated the Portugueze. Difputes between the King of Portugal and the Duke of Schomberg, who commanded the Englifli and Dutch auxiliaries, forced the Queen to recall that nobleman ; who was fucceeded by the Earl of Galloway, through the intrigues of Mr. Methuen, the Englifh ambaflador at the court of Liihon. The King of Portugal and the Archduke, having in vain attempted to ^rofs the river Angueda, and invade Caftille, were forced to retreat " Hift. de France, torn. iii. Siecle de Louis xiv. from Qjy E E N ANNE. 299 ffom the prefence of the Duke of Berwick, into the heart of CHAP. Portugal, where they diftributed their troops in winter quarters '. >— v— — ' 1704. On the fide of Italy, the Duke of Modena having efpoured the Campaign ia eaufe of the Emperor, was deprived of his whole dominions, by the French, under the command of Vendome. The Duke of Mirandola, who joined himfelf to the interefts of France, expe- rienced the like misfortune from the arms of the Imperialifts. The Duke of Mantua, perceiving that his dominions were be- come the theatre of war, endeavoured, by marriage, to gain the favour of France. The campaign in Italy proved, upon the whole, favourable for thehoufe of Bourbon. The caftle of 'Suza and the city of Pignerol were taken in June. Vercelli furren- dered in July '. The city, the citadel, and the caftle of Yvrea fell into the hands of Vendome, in the month of September. No action of any note happened in the field. The Emperor having employed his chief force in the defence of his hereditary ■dominions in Germany, found himfelf in no capacity to reinforce his troops in the duchy of Mantua. The French, therefore, took place after place, with little refiftance; and clofed the cam- paign by the taking of Senfano, on the twenty-fifth of No- vember. The taking of Gibraltar by the Englifh, and an undecifive Gibraltar .battle between the French and the confederates near Malaga, rendered diftinguiflied the naval operations of the prefent year. The combined fleet that had carried the Afchduke to Lifbon, having quitted that port, prefented themfclves before Barcelona ; where a party had entered into a fecret agreement with the allies to place that city in their hands. The plot was di ("covered and dlfappointed by the viceroy of the province ; but he durft neither feize nor punilh the confplrators. The fleet quitting the coaft of " Hift. de Portugal, toir. ii. P June iz. i July 20. Q^q 2 Catalonia, taken. I70+. 300 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Catalonia, appeared before Cadiz, which city had been placed in a poflure of defence by the vigilance of the governor. Fortune conducted the allies thence to Gibraltar, which was ill-provided and feebly defended. The inhabitants, terrified at the vivacity and courage of the Englifh failors, furrendered the place on the firft attack ; and Sir George Rooke, who commanded in the expedition, fortified Gibraltar, in the name, and under the domi- nion of the Queen of England '. Undocifive Th e taking of this important fortrefs had, at once, an efFed: Malaga. ^^ the War in Spain, and introduced another important event. Part of the army employed in Portugal being withdrawn from that kingdom, for the purpofe of retaking Gibraltar, ftopt the progrefs of Philip the Fifth. The French fleet, to the number of fifty-two fhips, coming to the aid of the befiegers, under the conduct of the Comte de Touloufe, was met, on the twenty- fourth of Auguft, about twelve leagues from Malaga, by Sir George Rooke and the Dutch admiral Calemberg, with an equal force. An obftinate battle enfued, to which the night put, at length, an end. Both fides claimed the vi£lory, and both de- ferved it, had fuccefs depended on valour. Though no fhips were funk or loft, the fleets were fo much difabled, that neither fhewed any inclination to renew the fight the fucceeding day. Willing to get clear of each other, they gradually made their retreat. The French, unable to give aid to the Spaniards before Gibraltar, made the moft; ufe of the wind to carry them to their ports; while the fleet of the allies, having left a fquadron on the coaft of Spain, direded their courfe to England '» Affairs In the The want of fuccefs, on the fide of Savoy, prevented the Hungary, allies, from fending, as they intended, fuccours to the infurgents in the Cevennes. The court of France, fenfible of the difadvan- ' Naval Hift. Hill. d'Efpagne, ii. • Naval Hift. tagc »704. CLU E E N A N N E. 301 tage of domeftic difturbances, while they were prefled by a powerful and vidlorious enemy on their frontiers, refolved, with lenity, to overcome men whofe obftinacy had, hitherto, defeated all the efforts of their arms. The Marefchal de Villars was, accordingly, fent to treat with the leaders of the infurgcnts. He agreed, in the name of the King, to grant them the free liberty of their own worfhip '. But the fire was rather covered than extinguished ". The impolitic conduft of the court of Vienna ftill continued the troubles in Hungary. The expulfion of the Eledor of Bavaria, and the redudion of his dominions, had fo much deprefled the malecontents, that they were ready to fubmit upon any reafonable terms. But the fierce and fevere policy of the houfe of Auftria, rejected all accommodation except a total fubmiflion, with men whom they accounted the word of rebels. The infurgents, coUeding fpirit from defpair, and privately en- couraged by France, fpread their ravages far and wide ; and though they were defeated in various fkirmiflies, Hungary was likely to continue, for fome time, a fcene of misfortunes and blood ". This year, remarkable for great events, produced a Revo- and In Po- lution in Poland ; The cardinal-primate, long in the intereft of the King of Sweden, aflembled a diet at Warfaw ; and the throne was declared vacant, on the fourteenth of February. King Auguftus, having iffued manifeftoes in vain, refolved to fupport himfelf with the fword. He aflembled his adherents in Poland. He called his allies the Ruflians to his aid. The King of Sweden, in the mean time, preiTed the Poles to eled a new Sovereign. Staniilaus Leczinild, Palatine of Pofnania, was accordingly raifed to the throne, on the twelfth of July. The war was continued with vigour. The Saxons were defeated, on the fixth of Auguft. They were again routed, on the nineteenth. But, notwithftand- • Hifl, de France, torn. iii. ' Burnet, vol. iv. " Hid. d'Allemagne, torn. vii. ing ^01 HISTORY Ot GtlEAT BRITAIN. ing thefe misfortunes, King Auguftus found means to furprifc Warfaw, on the fifth of September; and cither to difperfe or ^'°^' feize the adherents of his rival. He, however, was driven again from that capital, in the end of Oftober ; and forced to take refuge in his hereditary dominions ; which he almoft ruined, by immenfe preparations for renewing, with vigour, the war for the recovery of the kingdom he had loft \ A general The great viclory obtained by the allies at Blenheim, being chiefly, and very juflly afcribed to the valour of the Britifh troops and the condudl and addrefs of their leader the Duke of Marlborough, a general joy was diffufed over the nation on ac- count of that fplendid event. The Queen appointed a day of thankfgiving for this fignal advantage; and with a pomp, not unfuitable to the pardonable vanity of her fex, went in proceflion to St. Paul's ". The Duke himfelf, befides the great reputation which he had obtained abroad, frdm his fucTcefs, derived from it a folid advantage at home. On the fuccefs 'of his expedition, his political importance was known to depend. The party excluded from office had, in a manner, openly declared, that they would attack him in parliament ; and, it mull be confefled, that not- withftanding his great actions, he was not free from faults which his enemies might have feized with advantage. The torrent of his glory, however, came with fuch rapidity and ftrength on their defigns, that they were levelled, and in a moment ruined. While foreign princes vied with one another to honour him abroad, he became, at home, the darling of a people fond of military fame. Secretin- THfiWhigs dcfpairlng of any fuccefs from an oppofition to trigues of ]Vlarlborou2;h, feem, at this time, to have formed defis'ns of in- Marlbo- '-' _ ° rough. ducing him to embark in their pwn caufe. They had long * Hift. de Pologne, torn. ii. y Sept. 7. 3 obferved •■70.4- QJJ E E N ANNE. .obfcrved that neither the Duke nor the lord-treafurcr had evejr yet, even in appearance, renounced the pretenfions of the Prince of Wales. Their object, therefore, was to gain the Duke to the Proteflant fucceffion, by a marriage between his daughter and the eledloral Prince. But this, with other fchemes of the like kind, were dropt as difficult and uncertain ^ The truth is, that though Marlborough and Godolphin had not lately appeared warm in the caufe of the excluded family, they ftill maintained a fecret connection, and encouraged private interviews with the agents of the court of St. Germains % The Duke, though, per- haps, not fo fmcere in his profefTions as the treafurer, was lefs guarded in his condudl. In the month of April, when he was preparing to break the power of the French in Germany, he jegretted the abfence of his nephew, the Duke of Berwick, in Portugal ; as he ought to be nearer Britain, to take advantage of fuch events as might arife in favour of the exiled Prince. He gave, at the fame time, the moft folemn affurances of his unal- terable fidelity and attachment to the excluded family ; and directed their agents to apply to the Lord Godolphin, upon any emergency that might arife during his own abfence in the campaign ^ During the important operations of the campaign abroad, Affairs of fome tranfadlions in Scotland engaged a part of the attention of the nation at home. The country-party, inflamed at what they deemed an indignity, the interference of the Englifh houfe of lords, with a plot fuppofed to have exifted in Scotland, joined themfelves more clofely with that party whofe almoft avowed intentions were to ferve the interefts of the excluded family. The Queen, in compliance with her promife to the houfe of peers, made no fecret of her defign to propofe to the parlia- » Sir Rowland Gwynne's letters. * Stuart-papers, 1704. * Stuart-papers, April 22, 1704, ment tjO-i. 304 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^vf ^' ^^"'^ *^^ Scotland, the fettlement of the crown of that king- dom on the houfe of Hannover. To pave the "way for this •important bufinefs, fonie changes were made in the admlnl- ftration. The Duke of Queenfberry, who had rendered him- felf obnoxious, by his patronage of Frafer and the plot, was difmiffcd, to foften the popular party, from his place of fecretary of ftate; and the Marquis of Tweedale, a man of more honefty than abilities, fucceeded him in the office of lord-high- com- mifTioner to the parliament. Intrigues of Prior to the meeting of that afTembly, the difFerent fadions "^ ' ufed every art to flrengthen themfelves by gaining their oppo- nents. The Duke of Hamilton, confidered as the head of the Jacobites, adociated himfelf with the country-party, and fent a deputation of their number to London, to oppofe the deilgns and influence of his mortal enemy the Duke of Queenfberry, The perfons chofen for this kind of embafTy were the Earls of Rothes and Roxburgh, together with Baillie of Jervifwood, men lefs at- tached to the principles of their party, than to their own private in- tereft. Having arrived at London, and joined their efforts with the Duke of Athol, they accomplifhed the difmiflion of Queenfberry, But, contrary to the intention of their confederates the Jacobites, they promifed, in return, to the Englifh miniflry, to fupport in parliament the fucceffion of the houfe of Hannover. The Duke of Hamilton, and his party, though not ignorant of the defigns of their agents, refolved to purfue, with undeviating perfeverance, their own. They afFeded to appear ignorant of the agreement made between the members of the deputation and the court of JEngland ; while, at the fame time, they gained the adherents of theDukeof Queenfberry to a refolution of oppofmg the fucceffion, by agreeing that no examination of the plot fhould be made in parliament '. '■ Lockhan's Memeirs. 6 In of Parlia- menc. QJ] E E N A N N E. 305 In this ftate of affairs the parliament met at Edinburgh, on chap. the fixth of July. The Queen recommended, in her letter, i » 1 unanimity of councils, and the fettlement of the fucceffion in the Prcceedtn Proteftant line; and demanded an immediate fupply for maintain- ing the civil and military eftablifhments of the kingdom. The commifTioner, the chancellor, and the Earl of Cromarty, now fole fecretary of (late, fupported, as ufual, the demands of the Queen in a fucceffion of formal fpeeches. Their eloquence pro- duced fo little effedt on the houfe, that they fcarce had finifhed when a motion' was made, " that the houfe, without naming a fucceffor, ihould ftand by and defend her Majefty's perfon and government. But that the houfe fhould agree on fuch conditions and limitations, to take effed after the Queen's death, as fhould effe£tually defend Scotland againft all Englifh influence." The houfe adjourning without debate on the motion, the Duke of Hamilton made an overture, on the thirteenth of July, that the parliament fhould not proceed to name a fucceffor to the crown, until the Scots fhould conclude a treaty with England, in relation to commerce and other important concerns. When a motion was made for refuming the confideration of the overture % Mr. Fletcher of Salton laid, in a pathetic manner, before the houfe, the mi- fei'ies and hardfliips which the Scots had fuffered fince the union of the two crowns, and the impoffibility of mending their condition without preventing the continuance of the lame mif- fortune ^ The eagernefs with which thefe motions were received, con- Aaoffcca- vlnced the court- party, that the projed for fettling the fucceffion the royal af- was ill timed. To allay the ferment which had prevailed in the "^ nation ever fince the Queen refufed her affent to the ad of fecu- vity, her Englifh minifters had advifed her to gratify the Scots upon that fubjed. Befides, the oppofition had refolved, that till ' July 17, * Memoirs of Scotland, Vol. ir. R r* the 1704. 3o6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the aft of fecurlty fliould receive the royal afTent, no fupply fliould be granted. An aQ, in fubfiance the fame with that' which had palFed the houfe the preceding year, wa& read, for the' firll time, on the twenty-fiftli of July ; and, on the fifth of Auguft, it was touched with the fcepter. Though the Duke of Hamilton was in clofe correfpondence with the court of St. Ger- mains, fome of the adherents of the excluded family had formed a fufpicion of his having views of his own on the crown. The adt of fecurity, they faid, chiefly carried by his zeal and induftry,. contained a claufe which pointed out the Duke himfelf for thr throne of Scotland. A provifion was made, that the fucceflbr- fhould be a Proteflant, and of the royal line of Scotland; but that the perfon appointed fliould not be, at the fame time, fucceflbr to- the crown of England. Next the family of Hannover^ who were, . in a manner^ excluded by the claufe, the Duke of Hamilton^ himfelf was the nearcft Proteflant of the royal line; being lineally defcended, by a daughter, from the firft branch of the houfe ofi Stuart, who reigned in Scotland. Parliament Though the adherents of the excluded family had gained tO' prorogue . ^j^^j^ ^^^^ caufe the votes of the adherents of the Duke of Queenf- berry, with a promife, that the plot which had made fo much noife in England in. the preceding year, fliould not be difcuflfed in' parliament, it was brought into debate by the Lord Belhaven \ In a digrcflion from the fubjedt of his fpeech, his Lordfliip gave- a full account of the proceedings in the Englifli houfe of peers concerning that fuppofed confpiracy. This circumflance induced Mr. Fletcher of Salton to prefent a refolve to the houfe, which he- defiredmightbe read and voted. The purport of this overture was, that the Englifli houfe of lords, by their examination of the plot, and by addreflfmg the C^ueen, in relation to a fucceflbr to- the crown of Scotland, had unduely iaterfercd with the con»« « AuguA 9. 6 cenis CLU E E N A N N E. 307 ccrns of Scotfmen, and had cncroaclied upon the honour, fovc- CHAP, reignty and independency of the nation. This motion was op- i_— ,,— _; pofed with great warmth by the court party, and even by many -'' ^" who had hitherto been confidered as membersof the country party. The thing itfelf was, however, too popular not to pafs. The carrying of this refolution and another for addrcfling the Queen» for laying before the houfe the evidence and papers relating to the plot, finiflied the bufinefs of the feffion, which was clofed by a prorogation, on the twenty-feventh of Auguft'. The refradory difpofition of the parliament of Scotland Refleaions. alarmed the favourers of the proteftant fuccefTion in England. Though the minifter, the Lord Godolphin, was by no means of that number, the natural timidity of his difpofition rendered him, in forae meafure, averfe from a condudt which he fecretly approved. He perceived, that things could not long remain in their prefent unfettled condition ; and to prevent a crifis of affairs, which he had not courage to encounter, he deferted his principles. There is no reafon to believe that he privately encouraged the male- contents in Scotland, to rejed the propofal for fettling the crown in the houfe of Hannover. But he had not yet opened that fcene of corruption, which, afterwards, quieted the turbulence of the Scots ; and which was, perhaps, neceffary for the peace and fafety of the two kingdoms. The Duke of Hamilton, who knew the principles of Godolphin, expreffed his own fears of his want of courage*. He fuppofed, before the parliament of Scotland met, that many of the members were to be gained with money» by the lord-treafurer of England ; and to meet him, in the line of corruption, he demanded a large fum " from France, for the pur- pofe of purchafing votes '. f Proceedings of the Scot, pari, « Stuart-papers, j 704. '■25,0001. * Stuart papers, 1704. Vol. ir. R r s Though 3o8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Though the Duke of Hamilton was unjuftly acciifed in Fra- fer's plot, as being privy to a defccnt from France in the preced- Secre^t°nego- ing fummer, he had, in the prefent year, ferioufly advifed that ciations and j-neafure, fhould matters come to a rupture between the parliament of Scotland and the Englifh miniftry. He fent a meflage to the court of St. Germains, recommending that a force fhould be held ready on the coaft for an emergency. He afTured the exiled family, that their party in Scotland, in conjundlion with thofe who adhered to the independence of their country, were refolved, rather than fubmit to the fucceffion of the houfe of Hannover, to throw every thing into confufion, and leave the decifion of the contefi: to the fvvord. He gave it, as his opinion, that five thou- fand men would be fufficient to re-eftablifli the excluded line, on the throne of Scotland ; and eventually to raife them to the fove- reignty of England. But before any defcent fhould be attempted, he defired to be informed concerning the views and promifes of the adherents of the excluded Prince in the latter kingdom ; as the force neceflary for a fuccefsful invafion, ought to be greater or fmaller in proportion to the quality and number of his Englifli friends. The Marquis of Montrofe, the Earls of Errol, Marlhal, Breadalbin, and Panmure, the Vifcount Stormont, the Lord Bal- marino, the deprived bifhops, and many of the chiefs of the high- land clans, expreffed the fame inclinations and adhered to the fame fentiments, with the Duke of Hamilton ". intrigues of The vidory obtained in parliament over the propofals of the family/ Englifh miniftry, and the condefcenfion of the Queen, in giving the royal affent to the aft of fecurlty, prevented that rupture for which Hamilton fignified his inclination to be prepared. The minlfters of the excluded Prince were, however, either incapable or unwilling to obtain, from the court of France, an armament for the invafion of Scotland; and they made, therefore, their ap- ^ Stuart-papers, t7C4. plication QJJ E E N A N N E. 309 C II A ?. VI. 1704. plication for a defcent In England. On the twenty-fecond of June, a memorial for that purpofe was prefented to the Marquifles de Torcy anddc Chamillart. They fignifiedtothofeminifters, that an attempt on England would be lefs impradicable and more decifive, than to carry the war into Scotland, though the majority in that kingdom were in the intcrefb of the exiled family. They averred, with reafon, that the pofleflion of England would infure the fubmiflion of Ireland and Scotland ; and that the former was now deftitute of ^roops, or only left under the protection of a few guards and fome new levies, difperfed over the face of the country. They repre- fented, that the month of March was the moft proper time for a defcent, before the fupplies were levied or the fleet armed. They concluded with affirming, that nothing then fhould remain tooppofe their mafter, but a weak Princefs, a timid minifter, and a mercenary general ; who would make a merit of fulfilling their former pro- mifes, to enfure their own intereft and fafety '. During the ideal projeds, formed between the court of St. Parliament . -0111 !• r T- of England Germams and their adherents in Scotland, the parliament ot Eng- meets. land met at Weflminfter, on the twenty-fourth of Odober. The Queen, having expatiated on the great and remarkable fuccefs of the campaign, informed her parliament, that fhe afTured herfelf they were all difpofed to provide for every thing neceffary to profecute, with vigour and effed, the war. She infinuated, that nothing was more obvious, than that a timely improvement of the prefent advantages, would enable them to procure a lafting foundation of fecurity for England, and a firm fupport for the liberty of Europe. To accomplifli thefe defirable ends, flie de- manded a fupply from the commons. She told them, that (he be- lieved they would find fome charges neceflary, in the fuccceding year, which vv^ere not mentioned in the laft ; and that fome ex- traordinary expences had been incurred, for which no provifion ■ ' Stuart-papers, 1704. 5 li^d 1704. ,ro HISTOHY OF GREAT BRITAIN. had been made. Having aflured the two houfes of her confi- dence, in their afFedtion, and her own unaherablc love for her people, fhe earncftly recommended fuch unanimity, temper, and prudence in their proceedings, as might contribute to render her kingdom flourifliing and herfelf happy ". liberaffu"- The commous, as far as the Queen and the public fervice were plies. concerned, were fufficiently unanimous, expeditious, and zealous. The demanded fupplies were granted, without hefitation". They provided amply for the fea° and land fervices''. They fupplied former deficiencies ■". They guarded againft them for the future. They granted to her Majefly, befide forty thoufand pounds as a fubfidy to the Duke of Savoy', three hundred and feventy thou- fand pounds, as her proportion ofthefubfidies payable to her other allies, for the year 1705'. They were as expeditious in finding the ways and means, as they were liberal in furnilhing the fup- plies. The whole bufinefs was carried forward with fuch har- mony, cheeifulnefs, and facility, that, on the ninth of December, all the money-bills received the royal aflent. The general joy, which had difFufed itfelf through their conftituents, feemed to have communicated itfelf to the commons. But the fpirit of dif- fenfion was rather fufpended than extinguilhed. State of The lord-treafurer, though a Tory himfelf and even a Jacobite, parties. ^^^ permitted a caution, which his enemies called timidity, to fuperfede his principles, in the arrangement made in the depart- ments of government, at the clofe of the laft feflion of parliament. To trim between the two great parties, who divided between them the nation, he had placed moderate Whigs in places pofi'efled by violent Tories. He had the misfortune to lofe the latter, and not to gain the former. The poflelfion of power, under the fpecious name of a difference in opinion, had long been the motive of con- ■" Journals, Oft. 24. " Nov. i. "Nov. 7. ^ Nov. 11. ^Nov.g. 'Nov, ii. ' Nov. II. 17^4' Q^U E E N ANNE. 3^^ reft between thefe fadions ; and their mutual animofities had ^ '^ /^ ''• afcended to a height that difdained a divided authority in the kingdom. The trimming Whigs, admitted by Godolphin into office, had promifed to manage both parties, by playing their pre^ judices againftone another. This condudl, to make it fucceed, re- quired the utmoft dexterity and addrefs. Though the parties were fo poized, that the weight of government could give to either fide, at pleafure, the vidory, their contefts, efpecially, in their prefent inflamed ftate, were certain of embarraffing, if not capable of entirely obftruding the public bufmefs. t)J: Deserted friends become frequently, through pride, the Bill againft fierceft enemies. The Tories, though as much offended with conformity, Marlborough as with Godolphin, refolvcd to attack only the latter, as the high reputation obtained by the former had ren- dered him an objed too great to be alTailed. The bill againft cccafional conformity, which had been twice loft before, in the houfe of lords, was again introduced by the church party, in- to the houfe of commons'. To embarrafs the miniftry and to diftrefs the Whigs, who abetted the diflenters, a motion was made for tacking the bill to the land-tax bill. The houfe of lords having no power to alter any money-bill, but either to pafs it entire or to rejed the whole, that alTembly would either have been obliged to agree to the bill, or to put an end to the war, which depended on the fupplies. The miniftry, efpecially fecretary Harley, himfelf a diflenter, procured by his own addrefs and the weight of government, a majority in the lower houfe, againft the motion ". The bill, however, was pafled by the commons, without being tacked. But, again it was thrown out by the lords. This new difappointment increafed the a.nimofity of the Tories againft the Lord Godolphin; as they •Nov. 23. "Nov.-zS. afcrlbed 112 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1704.. Cond'ja of parties. Proceetlings of parlia- ment. afcribed their defeat, in a favourite projed, to the weight which he had thrown into the hands of the oppofite party. The two parties, during the remainder of this feffion of par- liament, feemed to have made an exchange of principles, could a judgment of their private views be formed from their pubUc coa- dudt. When the a£l of fecurity which had been pafled in Scot- land, in the preceding fummer, came to be debated in the parlia- ment of England, the Whigs and Tories complained againfl: it with equal warmth. The firfl endeavoured to derive advantage from a circumftance fo favourable to their avowed principles. The latter pretended, from the like motives, to guard againfl: its confequences. The Tories, in their arguments in the houfe of commons, urged that the pafling the a.€t of fecurity tended to de- feat the fuccefhon in the houfe of Hannover. But when this pro- pofitlon was reduced into a motion, it was rejected by the Whigs, though they had prc^elTcd themfelves the only friends of the d?fcent of the crown in the proteftant line. The two parties, however, agreed that fome vigorous efforts mufl be taken in Eng- land, to obviate the dangers arifing froni the proceedings in Scot- land. The violent, on both fides, were, however, well-pleafed at bottom with meafures which feemed equally calculated to promote their refpedive views. The republican part of the Whigs looked upon the a£l of fecurity as highly favourable to their own prin- ciples; and the warm Jacobites among the Tories confidered the exclufion of the houfe of Hannover, as a great ftep towards the reftoration of the excluded branch of the family of Stuart. The houfe of lords were the firfl; who entered into debate, on the. means of obviating the inconveniences which were likely to arife., from the a£ls paffed in the preceding fummer, in Scotland. They refolved, on the feventh of December, that no Scotfmen, not refiding in England and Ireland, fhould enjoy the pilivileges of Englilhmen, until an union fhould be made, or the fucceffion 1-04. qU E E N A N N E, 313 fuccefTion fettled, as in England. That the bringing in of cattle ^ ^|,*'^ ''• from Scotland fliould be prevented. That her Majefly's fhips fhould be ordered to feize fucli Scotifh fhips as they fhould find trading with France; and that the exportation of Englifh wool into Scotland fhould be carefully hindered". The houfc having approved of thefe refolutions, ordered the judges to reduce them into bills. An a£t for appointing commiffioners for treating witli the Scots, concerning an entire union, was read a third time, on the twentieth of December, and fent down to the commons for their concurrence. The lords, a few days before, had addreffed her Majefly, to put the town of Newcaflle in a ftate of defence, to fecure the port of Tinmouth, and to repair Carlifle and Hull. They alfo requefted the Queen to order the militia of the four northern counties to be difciplined and armed ; and that a compe- tent number of regular troops fhould be flationed on the borders towards Scotland, and in the northern parts of Ireland'. The bill formed by the lords, upon their own refolutions, was concerning reje£ted by the commons, under the pretence of its being a money- aaof'^fecu- bill, on account of the fines appointed to be levied on offenders. They, however, framed a bill to the fame purpofe, and, having pafled it, on the third of February 1705, fent it to the lords, who returned it, four days after, without any amendment. Though the commons found themfelves under a kind of neceffity to pafs a bill expreffive of their jealoufy of the Scotifh adl of fecurity, they proceeded, with manifeft coldnefs, in the whole bufinefs \ The more violent Whigs and the mod zealous Tories joined, as havsbeen already obferved, in opinion, that the unfettled (late of the fuccef- fion in Scotland, might favour their refpedlive views in England. Upon this footing, the bill fent down from the lords, was rejeded, in hopes of provoking the upper-houfe into a refentment, which might defeat the whole affair. The lords, aware of the defign of *■ Journals of the lords. ' Ibid. Dec. 9. r Burnet, vol iv. Vol. IT. 8 f the ntv. HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the commons, difappointed them by pafTing the bill without amendments, and even ahnofl without debate. Arrival of the The unanimity between the two houfes, which was apparently Marlborough forced, on the fubjed: of the Scotifh ad: of fecurity, affumed an appearance of being fmcere in their acknowledgment of the im- portant fervices of the Duke of Marlborough. That general hav- ing, in the beginning of November, ordered the Englifli troops to embark on the Rhine for Holland, direded his own courfe to Ber- li)n, the refidence of the King of Pruflia. Having, in the fpace of four days, concluded a treaty with that Prince, by which he en- gaged to fend eight thoufand men to the aid of the Duke of Savoy ; the Duke quitted Berlin and arrived at the court of Hannover, on the twentieth of November. On the fecond of December, he ar- rived at the Hague. Plaving concerted the operations of the next campaign, with the States, he embarked in the Maefe, and, accom- panied by the Marefchal de Tallard and twenty fix other pri- foners of note, arrived in the Thames, on the fourteenth of De- cember. He was, the fame day, received at St. James's, by the Queen, with every mark of favour, cordiality, and refpe£l % andrfTrd^-'^ The dukc, having next day come to the houfe of peers, was «d. congratulated upon his great fervices, in the name of the lords, by the lord-keeper, Sir Nathan Wright. The commons, at the fame time, ordered a committee of their body to wait upon him, with their thanks, for the fuccefs of his late n^ociations in the cabinet, as well as for his viilories in the fields They followed thefe expreflions of refpedl with more folid marks of their favour. ^.7<^S' Having appointed a day for confidering the fervices of the Duke of Marlborough, they addrefled her Majefty to find means to per- petuate their memory". The Queen, accordingly, acquainted the commons, by a mefliige, that (he intended to grant to the duke and » Life of Marlborough. * Dec. 15. * Jan, 1 r , 1 705. 2. his QJJ E E N A N N E. 3T5 his heirs, the interefl of the crown in the honour and manor of ^ ^^ ^ ^' Woodftock and hundred of Wooton ; and flie defired the afliftancc ' ^— -^ ofthehoufe, in clearing from incumbrance the lieutenancy and January. rangerfhip of the parks, with the rents and profits of the manor and hundreds, which had been already given away for two lives. A bill was immediately brought in, in confequence of her Ma- jefty's meffage ; and, notwithftanding the number of the duke's enemies in both houfes, it pafled into a law without oppofition. While the Duke of Marlborough was thus publicly gratified Hisintngue* by the two parties, and favoured by the Whigs, he continued to ofSt.Ger."'^ mains. make fecret profeiTions and proteftations of zeal for the inte- refts of the excluded family. A few days after his arrival from Holland, he invited himfelf to fupper with the Duchefs of Tyr- connel, who happened to be then in London. Her attachment to the court of St. Germains, and her knowledge of the duke's con- nexions with the fervants of the Prince of Wales, encouraged her to remind him of his former promifes, and to fuggeft her expec- tations from his future fervices. He anfwered her in general terms. But when ihe urged him to agree on particulars, he fo- 'emnly aflured her, that without defcending to circumftances or fixing the time, he would do every thing which honour and juftice demanded at his hands % The Lord Godolphin himfelf, though profcribed by the Tories, as affeding the principles and views of the Whigs, notwithftanding his natural caution, had, it feems, at the fame time, given a proof of the continuance of his zeal for the excluded family, by infinuatlng to their agents, that he would fearch for an opportunity to pay a part, at leaft, of the arrears of the jointure due to the exiled Queen ^ Notwithstanding this appearance of their favouring fecretly Vet favours the views of the excluded family, Marlborough and Godolphin, '^^' ' Stuart-papers, Jan. 4, 1705. ■' Ibid. S f 2 in >7°S- 316 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. in their public condud, feemed willing to break with the Tories, who were deemed the enemies of the fuccefTion in the proteftant line. Though Sir George Rooke had acquired fo much reputa- tion by the taking of Gibraltar and in the battle near Malaga, he was difmiffed from the command of the fleet, in the beginning of this year**, on account of his own high-church principles, and the fupport which his party gave to his aftions, in oppofition to thofe of the Duke of Marlborough, in the preceding campaign. Sir Cloudfley Shovel, a man of mean birth, but a good feaman and attached to the Whigs, was raifed into the place vacated by the difmifTion of Rooke. This circumftance, together with other mortifications arifing from the obvious partiality fhewn by the minifter to the Whigs, raifed the refentment of the Tories, who formed a majority of the commons; and contributed to a renewal of the former differences, which fubfifted between the two houfes of parliament. Feb. An object of divifion prefented itfelf to the commons in a mat- menof.Aykf- ter in which their own privileges, as they maintained, were very *'"'''' eflentially concerned. Five inhabitants of the borough of Aylef- bury brought their adions againfl William White, the mayor of that corporation, for having refufed to receive their votes, in the ele£lion of members to ferve in parliament. The commons or- dered thefe men to be committed to Newgate, for a breach of pri- vilege. But the prifoners brought their habeas corpus into the court of Queen's Bench ; and provided themfelves with council, who pleaded, upon various grounds, that they ought to be dif^ charged. The lord chief-juftice Holt, who prefided on the bench, was of the fame opinion, declaring that neither houfe of parliament, nor both jointly, without the concurrence of the fo- vereign, have any power or right to difpofe of the liberty or the property of the fubjedt. He affirmed, admitting that the com- * Jan, 5, fiaon$ 1705. QJJ E E N AN N E. 317 mons poflefTed a right of punifhing perfons, with imprironment) for a breach of privilege, that commencing of a fuit was no breach of that kind ; that ajuft caufe of adiion, grounded on the common law, could not be conftrued into a contempt, without fubjeding the rights of the people and the common courfe of juftice between man and man, to the caprice of a body who might chufe to fubflitute the refolutions of one branch of the legiflature, in the place of regulations formed by the united confent of the whole. The three other judges on the bench differing from the chief- Refolutions ■^ . of the lords. Juflice in opinion, the prifoners were remanded to Newgate. Two of thefe, however, refufing to acquiefce in the judgment, petitioned for a writ of error, to bring the matter before the lords. The commons, having addreffed the Queen not to grant the writ, voted, that all thofe that were either concerned in managing the writs of habeas corpus^ or in procuring the writ of error were difturbers of the public peace, and enemies of the privileges of the commons of England. They ordered the four counfellors who had pleaded for the men of Aylefbury at the bar of the Queen's Bench, to be taken into cuftody. They fent their ferjeant at arms, at midnight, with every circumftance of feverity and terror, to remove the prifoners from Newgate. The houfe of lords proceeding, in the mean time, on the petition for the writs of error, came to feveral important refolutions. They voted, that neither houfe of parliament had any power to create new privileges, inconfiftent with the known laws and cuftoms of parliament. That every fubje£t of England, who thinks himfelf injured, has a right to feek redrefs by an adion at law ; and that the houfe of commons, in committing the men of Aylefbury, had entrenched on the conflitution of the kingdom, by pretending to give to their owa declaration the force of an eflablifhed law'. * PiintedCafe. ( To 3i8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. vr. » „ ' 170^. March. Counter-re- folutions of the com- mons. To thefe refolutions againfl the commons, the lords added others declaratory of the general rights of the people. They refolvedj that every Englifhman who is imprifoned by any authority what- foever, has a right to apply for and obtain his habeas corpus ; and that the commons, in encroaching, by their animadverfions on that undoubted right, had made a breach on the ftatutes provided for the liberty of the fubjedl. The lords followed thefe refolu- tions with two writs of habeas corpus, returnable before the lord- keeper, in behalf of two of the council for the men of Aylefbury* who had been taken into cuftody by the ferjeant at arms, by ex- prefs orders from the commons. The lower houfe having voted counter-refolutions againfl thofe of the peers, commanded the ferjeant at arms, under a promife of being fupportcd and pro- teded, to make no return nor yield any obedience to the writs ; and they, at the fame time, acquainted the lord-keeper, that the writs themfelves fliould be fuperfeded as contrary to law, and the privilege of the commons of England ^. The flame increafing on both fides, with great fury, the Queen was advifed to put an end to a feflion that promifed nothing but turbulence, altercation and noife. She accordingly came to the houfe of lords, on the fourteenth of March, and by an immediate prorogation, put an efFedual end to the difpute. A fefGon of parliament in Ireland. During thefe contefts in England, the parliament of Ireland met at Dublin \ The affairs of that kingdom having fufFered no material change fmce the preceding year, the feffion furnifhed no tranfa(flion of great importance. On the fifth of March, the commons, in a committee of the whole houfe, voted a fupply of one hundred and fifty thoufand pounds to her Majefty, for the fupport of the eftablifhment for two years, commencing at Michaelmas 1705, and ending, at the fame term in the year 1707. A bill, introduced for the improvement of the hempen e Journals, March f. •■ Feb. 10. and 1705. Q^U'EEN ANNE. 319 and flaxen manufaflures of the kingdom, raifed a flnmc, which a prorogation only could extinguifli. A claufe in the bill having afccrtained the tithes of flax and hemp, the lower houfe of con- vocation of the clergy of Ireland prefented a memorial, figned by the prolocutor, requefting the commons, that a claufe fo detri- mental to their interefl fhould not pafs, till their reafbns againfl: it fhould be heard. The commons ordered the perfon who brought the memorial to be committed for a breach of privilege. They voted, that the convocation, by pretending to have any care of the civil rights of the clergy, were guilty of a contempt of the houfe. They, at the fime time, flgnified their expe£latIon, that the convocation fhould make fubmiflion and acknowledge their error. That aflembly adhering to their memorial, the commons ordered that all matters concerning it fliould be erazed from the journals and books of the convocation j upon which, the lord- lieutenant, to put an end to the difpute, fcnt a meflage to both; houfes, commanding them to adjourn ' to the firfl: of May. The parliament of England was fcarce prorogued, when a The trea- material change happened in the higher departments of the ftate. dated. The natural timidity of the Lord Godolphin, at perpetual variance with his inclinations in favour of the excluded branch of the royal family, produced contradidtions and inconfiftencies in his conduct, that w^ere unaccountable, at the time, as his motives were unknown. The Duke of Marlborough, in his conferences with the agents of the court of St. Germains, had infinuated in the name of the treafurer as well as in his own, that effe(ftual meafures fhould be taken in the preceding fummer, to prevent the fettlement of the crown upon the houfe of Hannover from pafling into a law in Scotland ''. When, therefore, the Queen recommended to the Scotifh parliament to fettle the fucceflion in the Proteftant line, it was fufpeded, with reafon, that her ' March zi. » Stuart-papers, April 1705. REVEALED' 320 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. REVEALED WILL, as the Earl of Cromarty exprcfled himfelf in his fpeech in the houfe, was very difFerent from the secret in- '*"*'' CLINATIONS of her Englifti minifter. This circumftance in- duced many who were in the fervice of the Crown, to join the country-party in the vote which rejected the propofal of fettling the fucceflion on the family of Hannover '. joins Ac The aftlve leaders of the Whig-party in England, having turned their whole attention toward the means of poflefling ihem- felves of power, kept a watchful eye on Godolphin. They were no ftrangers to his character, and they were refolved to work upon his fears. The Lord Wharton, in particular, knowing that nothing calculated to intimidate, would be lofl on Godol- phin, faid, upon pafling the adt of fecurlty in Scotland, that he " had now the treafurer's head in a bag." The expreflion was coarfe, but it had all its weight with the minifter. The Lord Haverfliam reprefented to him his danger in a fet fpeech in the houfe of lords. To fave him-felf from their refentment, he made great advances to the party during the feflion ; and whea it was clofed, in the middle of March, he performed his engage- ments, by admitting fome into office, and opening to others a profpefl: of preferment. The Duke of Newcaftle, though during the late reign fecretly in the intereft of the excluded family, and in correfpondence with the court of St. Germains "", was confi- dered by the nation as one of the principal leaders of the Whigs ; and as fuch he was raifed " to the office of lord-privy-feal, vacant by the difmiffion of the Duke of Buckingham, who was known to adhere to the principles of the Tories. Some other changes of lefs importance convinced the latter, thst the current of prefer- ment ran in a channel very different from their own. Parl'iament The Whigs, now favoured by the Court, were foon after furniflied with an opportunity of fecuring to themfelves, effec- ' Proceedings of pari. ■" Stuart-papers, 1694, " March 27. tually, 1705. Q^U E E N ANNE. 321 tually, the advantage which they had extorted from Godolphin's fears. The prefent parHament, in confequcnce of the triennial aft, being near expiring, the Queen, to preferve the ancient preroga- tives of the Crown, chofe to diflblve it by proclamation, on the fifth of April. The tumult, clamour, and confufion that com- monly attend general elections, were now raifed to an unufual height, by the contefls and animofities between parties. The Whigs, more adtive than their antagonifts, applied thcmfelves to the prejudices of the vulgar. They had the art to render the Tories odious where the returns depended on the humours of the populace ; and having the countenance of Government, together with the moneyed intereft on their fide, they were enabled to awe the timid and to gain the venal. Befides, the principles which they held forth to the public, were better qualified than thofe of their opponents to gain the independent part of mankind, as they flattered their pride. The refult of the whole was, that the elections in general went in favour of the Whigs, efpecially in boroughs; and thus the Tories found themfelves at once* divefted of a power, which they had neither the courage to exert with fpirit % nor the prudence to ufe with moderation. During thefe domellic tranfadions, the war was carried on Campaign of abroad with a degree of ardour. The Duke of Marlborough arrived in Holland in the beginning of April ; and having con- certed the operations of the campaign with the States, took the field in the firfl week in May. His great object was to improve the victories of the preceding campaign, by carrying the war by the Aiofelle into the heart of France. With the fame number of troops as in the laft year, he marched through the country of Limbourg ; and being joined near Treves by the Prince of Hefle, he crofTed the Mofelle and the Saar, marched to the defile of Taveren, and advanced to Elft. The French apprized of the de- P Burnet, vol. iv. Vol. II. T t fign» »7os. 522 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. figns of Marlborough, had aflembled an army of feventy thoufand- men on that fide, under the command of the Marefchal de Villars, ■who, occupying a ftrong camp at Sirk, refolved to remain on the defenfive. The prince of Baden, who commanded the Impe- rialifts, either from a perfonal diflike to Marlborough, or, unpro- vided with the means of taking the field, difappointed him in his promife of joining the allies with the German troops; and thus the Duke remained inactive in his camp, for the fpace of a month, in daily hopes of a reinforcement that never arrived ■*. Death of the The death of the Emperor Leopold, which happened on the mperor. fj^th of May, changed, in nothing, the face of affairs. That Prince, born with a degree of virtue, w^as deftitute of talents. The apparent line of ambition which paffed through his whole conduct, was rather the difpofition of his court than any paffion of his own. His fon, who had been, feveral years before, created King of the Romans, fucceeded him in the Imperial dignity. That Prince inherited his father's minifters as well as his dominions ; and the fame counfels continued to adl under the name of Jofeph^ that had uniformly prevailed in the reign of Leopold. The fuc- ceffion to the Spanifh throne, the increafe of the Imperial power,, on the ruins of the authority of the German princes, and the redudion of the infurgents in Hungary, were the principal ob- je£ls of the prefent as well as of the late Emperor. But Jofeph was better calculated than his father to fucceed in thefe views. His mind was aftive and full of fire, his difpofition vehement, his character enterprifing ; and to an induftry, which ran vio- lently from one fcheme to another, he added a firmnefs of foul,- that difdained to yield either to accident or misfortune. Slow mca- The ncw Emperor, however, was Incapable of infufing his ^res of the ^^^^ £j.g Jj^jq ^-^q fluggifli Germanic body, already languilliing 1 Hill. d'Allemagne, torn. vii. 6 for Q^U E E N A N N E. ^23 for repofe. Deftitute of refources at home, he could not even ani- ^ H A p. mate into a£lion his hereditary troops ; or furnifh his part of the »>— ^-^-^ ftrength employed, by the allies, againft the common enemy. ''°^* This inability in the court of Vienna, combining with the envious and obftinate difpofition of the Prince of Baden, forced Marlbo- rough to abandon his defigns of carrying the war into France, by the courfe of the Mofelle. During the time that general remained at Delft, the French, under the Eledor of Bavaria and the Mare- fchal de Villeroi, had taken Hui % and were on their march to Liege. The States, alarmed at the progrefs of the enemy, requefted the duke to quit the Mofelle, and to haft^n back to their aid, on the fide of Flanders. Having decamped, in the night, he repaffed the dangerous defile of Tavaren without being molefted ; and» diredling his march toward Liege, joined the Dutch under Auver- querque, which Induced the enemy to retire beyond their lines. Hui was retaken, on the twelfth of July; and the duke refolved to retrieve, with fome enterprife of confequence, the glory loft by the prior inadivity of the campaign '. To accomplilh his purpofe, he formed a fcheme of forcing the Mariborougk French lines, and encamped within a league of the enemy. The Fre"chliiies. Eledor and the Marefchal de Villeroi, perceiving the defign of the allies, drew their armies together, leaving only fmall detachments to defend the lines, on either fide. The Mehaigne ran about half a league on their right; on the left they had two barriers, for the convenience of the people of the country, at the diftance of three leagues. On the feventeenth of July ' the duke commanded the Dutch to march toward the Mehaigne, by v^^ay of a feint; while, at the fame time, he ordered ten thoufand men to form on his right, and to lie down there, on their arms. When it grew dark, this body marched toward the barriers. They were followed clofe by the army under Marlborough, and the Dutch, facing about, haftcned 'June. • Life of Marlborough. ' N. S. T t 2 .the J 705. 3^4 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the fame way. The Eledor of Bavaria, at length apprized of thft Duke's defign, ordered the left wing of his cavalry to march ta prevent the allies from pafling the barriers. He himfelf followed with the infantry. But the enemy had already formed wlthia the lines. After a fierce fhock between the duke and the Bava- rian infantry, the latter were obliged to give way. But ten bat- talions throwing themfelves into a hollow fquare, marched off in fpiteof the cavalry of the allies, and proteQe'd, as they retreated, their flying friends". The French and Bavarians having, after the adtion, retired behind the Dyle, the reft of the compaign produced neither movement nor adion of importance. Operations Thoug H the Marefchal de Villars had detached a ereat portion on the fide of ^ 01. Germany, of his army to Alface and Flanders", he found himfelf fuperior 'a y. ^^ ^YiQ allies, when the Duke of Marlborough retired from the Mofelle toward Flanders. The French forced the lines of Wif- feimbourg, on the third of July. Hombourg furrendered, on the twenty-fixth of the fame month, to the Marquis de Conflans. But the Marefchal, enfeebled by detachments, was, however, un- able to defend the lines of Haguenau, againft the Prince of Baden ; who, though he could not, on account of the advanced feafori, recover Hombourg, found means to extend his quarters into the enemy's country. On the fide of Germany, the campaign could not be faid to have been unfavourable for France. In Italy, their arms were, in general, attended with fuccefs. Villa-Franca fell into their hands in March \ The town and port of Nice was taken, on the ninth of April. The conqueft of this place became important, as it cut off from the Duke of Savoy, every profpedb of relief by fea. The Duke de Vendome, after an obftinate fiege of fix raopths, became mafter of Verue *". He had the good fortune to repulfe, in an obftinate adion, the allies under Prince Eugene, " Hid. de France, Kane's Mem. ' Hift. de France, torn, iii. * March 7. y April 10. who Q^U E E N A N N E. zp.^ who attempted to force the paflage of the Adda, at the bridge of ^ ^^^ P. Caflano ^. The Duke of Savoy found himfelf obliged to fliut y ..^-—j himfelf up in Turin, without any profped; of reliefs. ■•? ^^ In Spain, the Marefchal de Tefle, was forced to raife the Affairs of fiege of GibraUar, on the twenty-third of April. He had the mortification, a few days before, to be an eye-witnefs of the defeat of de Pointii, whofe fhips, confifting of five men of war, were furprized in the bay, and all taken or dcftroyed, by an Englifh fquadron, under Sir John Leake. The cam- paign, oathe confines of Spain and Portugal opened favourably, for the archduke and the allies. The fiege of Gibraltar having forced the French and Spaniards to draw the befl: part of their forces to that fide, the confederates were encouraged to enter the enemy's country, on the frontiers of Beira and Alantejo. The Portugueze reduced the principal places in the province of Eftra- madura. Salvatierra, Valencia, d'Alcantara\ and Albuquerque % fell into their hands. The progrcfs of the fpring campaign was, however, flopt by a body of French and Spaniards, who forced the Marquis das Minas, who commanded the Portugueze, to retire within the limits of his own country. In the end of autumn, the Portugueze and the other allies who had quarrelled about the pro- jedled operations, opened, at length, the campaign, with the fiege of Badajox. But the Marefchal de TeflTe, having thrown a rein- forcement of a thoufand men into the place, the enemy were forced to relinqui(h their enterprife, and to retire again into Portugal ". During thefe operations in Portugal, affairs of much greater Succefsofthe confequence happened in Spain. Five thoufand troops, under the ^pahi.*" joint command of the Earl of Peterborrow and Sir Cloudfley Shovel, having, under the efcort of a fquadron of men of "war, failed from St. Helen's, in the end of May, arrived in the port of * Aug. i6. » Hift, d'Efpngne, torn, ii. ^ May 8. ^ j^gy ,2. * HiJl. d'Efpagne, torn. ii. Lifbori 1705. 326 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. Lifbon about the middle of June. Being joined in that place, by a fquadron of Dutch under Admiral Allemonde, and reinforced with fome horfe, from the Earl of Galway's army in Portugal, they took the Archduke Charles on board, failed to Gibraltar, and directed from thence their courfe to the coafl of Catalonia. The arrival of fuch a great force fpread terror and confufion through all Spain. The fortrelTes of Lerlda and Tortofa were delivered into the hands of the Archduke, without a blow. Barcelona was forced to capitulate; and almofl: the whole kingdom of Valencia, as well as the province of Catalonia, fubmitted themfelves to the new King. The fleet of the confederates, having retired from the coaft of Spain, upon the approach of winter, the land forces of the allies took up their quarters in the heart of that kingdom'. Though this campaign, upon the whole, was much lefs unfavour- able than the preceding, to the houfe of Bourbon, it is apparent, that they owed more to the languor of fome of their enemies, than either to their own force or their conduct. Mairsof The war in Poland, produced fome events of importance dur- ing theprefent campaign. The good foctune which had hitherto attended his enterprifes, ceafed not to favour the adive fpirit of the King of Sweden. But neither the fuccefs of his arms, nor his own abilities and perfeverance, were capable of reftoring to peace and order that diftradled kingdom. The cardinal primate having iffued the univerfalia, a diet was held, in the month of July, at Warfaw, under the protedion of a body of Swedes. The Saxons, in endeavouring to diflurb the deliberations of that aflembly, were defeated by the enemy, and forced to retire with confiderable lofs ; while, in the fame month, the Ruffians were routed by the Swedes, in Courland, with the lofs of fix thoufand flain. But, notwithftanding thefe advantages, the King of Swe- den found it impolfible to decide the fate of the war. The Czar, after the defeat of one army, poured a ftill greater force into Cour- « Earl of Peterborrow's condufl. land. QJJ E E N A N N E. 327 land, and reduced the vidlorious Swedes to the neceffity of retiring chap. under the cannon of Riga. Mittau itfelf fell into his hands. — ^ The Czar befieged Riga. But, defpairing to take the place, di- '^°^' reded his march towards Warfaw. Auguftus was, in the mean time, a kind of fugitive in his own dominions ; while Staniflaus cxercifed fome feeble ads of royalty, under the protedion of his maker, the King of Sweden ^. During thefe tranfadions abroad, the parliament of Scotland Affairs cf met at Edinburgh ^. The late obftinate and determined condud of that affembly had involved the Englifh minifter in difficulties, from which he could only extricate himfelf, by gaining, through motives of advantage to themfelves, the mofl adive and vindidive of his political enemies. To prevent the return of dangers which he had juft efcaped, he refolved to ufe all the power and influence that his office had placed in his hands, to promote the proteftant fucceffion, and the union of the kingdoms : mea- fures which both he himfelf and the Duke of Marlborough had fecretly oppofed *", in the preceding year. To effeduate his pur- pofe, the Lord Godolphin, through the didates of his own cau- ' tionand the advice of his friends, came to a refolution of placing the management of the affairs of Scotland in other hands. The Duke of Queenfberry, raifed to the place of lord privy-feal, was confidered as the ading minifter ; and the Duke of Argyle, an adive, forward, and fpirited young man, fuccecded the Marquis of Tweedale as commiffioner to the parliament. A general change, in the inferior departments, was made ; and all the privy- counfellors, laid afide by the preceding miniftry, were reftored, except Lockhart of Carnwath and Sir James Foulis of Colling— ton'. The removal of the late miniftry formed a new party in par- A feflionof liament,' which, from throwing its weight alternately in the fcalc P^'''*'"®"^ 'Hift. duNord. s June z8. * Stuart-papers, 1705. ' Mem. of Scotl. o£ 1705. HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN, of the Jacobites and in that of the favourers of the Revolution, acquired the cant name of the flying fquadron. Thefe, without any fixed principle on either fide, endeavoured, by balancing the two other parties, to feize again the reins which had been flruck from their hands. The views of each being fixed on their re- fpedive objefts, the public bufinefs was opened, with reading the Queen's letter to the houfe. She recommended, with great earneftnefs, the fettling the fucceffion in the proteftant line, and an union between the two kingdoms. To induce them to apply heartily to the fir ft, flie promifed to give her aflent to fuch provi- fions and reftridions as fhould appear neceflary in fuch a cafe ; and flie fignified her defire, that the means of promoting the latter might be followed through the fame line, with that marked by the parliament in England''. The lord commiffioner and the Earl of Seafield, who had been appointed chancellor, enforced, in their fpeeches to the houfe, the important matters recommended in the letter from the Queen. "Proceedings. The firft motion made in parliament ', propofed that, prior to all other bufinefs, the houfe fliould proceed to the confideratlon of fuch limitations and conditions of government, as fhould be deemed neceflary to.circumfcribe the royal authority, under the next fucccffbr in the protefliint line. This overture, however, was fuperfeded, by a motion for entering, prior to any other matter, upon the trade of the nation. To fupply the kingdom . with money, two propofals for eftabliftiing paper-currency were laid before the houfe. Thefe were, upon a debate, reje£led. But fome other overtures regarding commerce were paffed into a law. A council of trade was, at the fame time, appointed, to put the laws of commerce in execution; and to bring the exports and im- ports of the nation into a balance, to belaid before the next feffion of parliament. During the dependence of this bill, the Duke of ''-Queen's letter, ^ ' July 17. Hamilton II Q^U E E N A N N E. SCkj^ Hamilton prefented^a refolvc, that tlie nomination of afucccfTor ^ ^^./^ ^■ fhould be poftponed, till a treaty with England could be obtained, \ ^-ji-j with regard to the commerce and other concerns of the Scotifh '^^^' nation. Though the flying fquadron, if a cant name may be ufed, joined their votes to thofe of the adherents of the court, thi» motion was carried by a great majority. Though the cavaliers, in coniundion with the country party, intrigue? of n- r n r the Jacobites, vvere fuccefsful in this important queftion, the nrft had formed no aftofiimiia- gi'eat hopes of fucceeding to their wifhes in parliament. They had, fometime before the meeting of that aflembly, folicited the court of St. Germains ", for twelve thoufand French as a more powerful argument in favour of their caufc than idle refolutions, which, they knew, were deftined to be defeated, by the great weight which the miniftry of England had thrown into the oppofite fcalc. The preflure of the allies, on every fide of the dominions of the houfe of Bourbon, had rendered fuch an expedition impoffible in the eyes of the court of Verfailles ; and, therefore, the Jacobites were left to their own addrefs and influence in the Scotifh par- liament. Encouraged by the fuccefs of his laft overture, the Duke of Hamilton moved, on the thirty-firft of July, that in preference to an adt for treating with England, the houfe fhould proceed to the confideration of limitations, with regard to the fucceffor to the crown. Overtures for various adls to that purpofe, were accord- ingly introduced ; and feveral were pafTed, that, in a manner, annihilated the power of the fovereign. Among other fecurities provided for the fubjedt, an a£l for triennial parliaments was agreed to by the houfe. But notprithflanding the folemn pro- mlfes of the miniftry, that it fliould be touched with the fceptre, when they obtained the a£l for a treaty with England, the royal a/Tent was refufed to the triennial bill. "July 17. " Stuart- paperSj 1705. Vol. II. U u There 330 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. « ^vATi^'*' There is, however, reafon to believe, that the miniflry,, ..»_—.,-— J tliroiigh tlie aid of" iheir friends in England, were now enabled ta ^ctfortreat- convincc ^hc parliaincnc, with arguments more foli'i than vague. Elf I'n'l^ promires ol procuring the royal alFent to the triennial bill. 1 he faiita. tcmp(?r of the hoiife fufFered fuddenly fuch a manifeft change,. that the fccretdiftribution of Englifli money was much fufpedted^ by thofe perfonS| who remained tirm to their former view8»- The Jacobites and country party perceiving an alteration in the fentiments of maay members, when the bill for treatiag concern- ing an union with England was brought under debate, endea.- voured todefeat, by conditional claufes, a meafure, which it was, uow vain to oppofe. Tlie Duke of Hamilton moved a claufe importing, that the propofed union, " fliould no ways derogate from any fundamental laws, ancient privileges, offices, rights, liberties, and dignities of the Scotifh nation." This overture, was fo popular, that, but far the negligence of the duke's own- party, feven or eight of whom happened to be abfent, it muft have certainly been carried; and when it even came to the vote, it was- loft only by two voices. The other attempts made by the cavaliers to clog the adi, were impotent and ill-fupported. The a£l for treating with England was pafled, without any confiderable amend- ments; and the parliarjxent having finifhed this important bufi-- nefs, and granted the demanded fupplies, were adjourned, on the twenty-firft of September. Cftober. On the twenty-fifth of October, the new parliament of Eng- mentofEng- ^^^^i ^^^^^ various prorogations, met at Weftminfter. The great hrdmtets. fuccefs of the Whigs, in the late eleftions, appeared in the choice, of a fpeaker, for the houfe of commons. The high-church party having propofed Mr. Bromley, who had diftinguifhed himfelf ia. the debates on the bill againfl occafional conformity, as a zealous adherent of Toryifm, the Whigs oppofed him, with the nomina- tion of Mr. Smith. Upon a divifion, Smith carried the office of fpeaker. VI. QJJ E E N ANNE. 33t fpea-ker, by a great majority"; and on the tvventy-fevcnth of ^^ ^^i''^ ^' Odlober, he was approved by her Majefty, according to the ufiial form. The Queen addreffed to the two houfcs a fpccch, penned by Cowper, the new lord-keeper, which, though fuitable to the times, ihewcd that the mcafures of the court were no longer guided by Tory principles. She urged, with carneflnefs, the necefTity of profecuting the war, to reftore the balance of power, which, flie faid, the polfeffion of Spain by the houfe of Bourbon, had deftroyed. She demanded the neceflary fupplies, for fupport- ing the operations of the allies, as well as for exerting the force of her own kingdoms. She informed them of the a£t paflcd in Scotland, for treating concerning an union; and fhe concluded, with taking an obvious part with the Whigs, by declaring that the church was in no danger ; a circumftance urged with ve- hemence by the Tories, to arm the prejudices of the populace to favour their own defigns. This fpeech was fo fuitable to the fentiments of the prevailing N-ivcmher. party, and the fubje£t in general fo popular, that an addrefs o^ Pretence^ of thanks was voted by the commons, without either debate or one P*''"'^* diflenting voiced The fupplies, for the next year, amounting, befides the ordinary revenue appropriated to the civil lift, and the payment of intereft for debts, to more than five millions, were voted, with the fame unanimity and feeming zeal'. The war was not the topic upon which the contending parties refolved to try their force. Public pretences were invariably ufed through- -doSbJ put this reign, by 'the leaders of the two parties, to cover their own private defigns upon office and the poflefnon of power. The leaders of the Tories, on the one hand, exprcficd the utrnofl: folicitude for the church of England. Thofe of the Whigs dlf- covered a wonderful zeal for the fucceftion of the crown in the proteftant line. They both affailed the weaknefs of their lef& ia-^. * 248 agaJDJl 2C5. P Nov. i. 1 Nov. 10.^ U u 2 ■ teillgent >?.e5-.^— » Rocheller. The refencment of thefc noblemen againfl the govern- Their mVtio« ment and the party now in power, induced them to contradid, [°J "^^'""g i J I ' ' the protcltanj aot only their own fecret principles', but even thofe which they l^cii "j'-cicd, had uniformly avowed to the world. Tlicy urged, that as they had f'wora to maintain the proteflant fucceflion, they were obliged to adhere to the motion, as the heft means to enfure the poffeirion of the crown to the hci. cftablilhed by law. They affirmed, that it. appeared, throughout the annals of former times, that the Prince, who firft came to England, had always carried the crown of that kingdom. They infinuated, that the pretending fuccefibr might be in London in three days, while three weeks would, at leafl:, he neceffary for bringing the declared fucceffor to that city. To thefe arguments, they added others of little weight, as they themfelves were deemed infincere. The Whigs, by a flrange reverfe, were forced to oppofe the motion, to preferve their own influence with the Queen. They alleged, that it was neither fafe for the crown nor fecure for the nation, that the prefumptlve heir ftiould not be in an entire dependence on the reigning fove- reign ; and they urged, with propriety^ that the rivallhip betweea the two courts, would inevitably involve the kingdom in all the diftradions incident to the animofities of counteradling parties andt interefts ". "'Ehe weight of the party in power contributed, however, Biiiof;». more to the rejeding of the motion than the force of argument. S'-'"'^>'- But if the Tories were not fincere in their profefTions in favour of the houfe of Hannover, they were, at leaft, the means of firengthening the fecurity of the fucceffioa of the crown in that family. The Lord Wharton having, with a happy irony, con- gratulated the houle, on the manifefl miracle, that had fo fud- • Stuart-papers, paflim. • Burnet, vol. iv. denly t'O^. 534 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. derily changed the principles of the Tories, a'h "6rder was made» that the judges fhould prepare and prefent to the lords a bill, for the further fecurity -of the proteftant fucceffion. This bill, hj forming an eventual regency, of the firft officers of ftate, upon the ^death of the Queen, effedually fecured the kingdom, by provid- ing a continuation of legal government, till the fucceflbr fhould arrive and aflert his own authority. But thofe who feemed mod •to urge the invitation to the prefumptive heir, were leafl inclined ■to the bill of regency. The Tories oppofedit in every claufe, and •propofcd additions apparently more defigned to gain the populace, 'than either neceflary or even uleful in themfelves. One of their amendments was manifeftly calculated to defeat the intention of the bill, by rendering it ridicuious. It was offered, as a limitation -on the regency, that they fhould poflefs no power of repealing the very adt of feitlement *, for the fecurity of which, they themfelves were to be invefted with that authority. A vote that The 'vehement and inconfiderate meafures, into which their not in dan- own rcfentment had betrayed the Tories, furnifhed their oppo- ^^'^' nents with another opportunity of mortifying their pride. A cry that the church was in danger, had been propagated with fuch induflry, without doors, that the Whigs refolved to check the panic which had fpread among the people, by a declaratory vote in parliament. The Lord Halifax, having moved for a day to examine into the pretended danger of the church, a debate en- fucd, more expreffive of the violence of the parties, than fuitable to the fubjeft. The ad of fecurity in Scotland, the lofs of the bill of occafional conformity in England, the abl'ence of the next fuc- ceffor to the crown, beyond feas, the increafe of prefbyterian academics, and the licentioufnefs of the prefs, were produced by the Tories, as proofs of the danger of the church. The Whigs argued, on the other fide, that the Scotifh ad of fecurity regarded * Burnet, vol. iv. ..-•u.^.i .* only uiikon. m^ QJJ E E N ANNE. -J 355 otily temporal concerns. That the ahfence of the fiicccflbr -A'as fwppHcd by the a£l of regency. That the bill of occafional con- formity having been confidered and reje£led by the houfc, the queftion was now determined; and that the Prtfbytcrian acade-i mies were fcarce more numerous than thofe taught by Non-jurorsiiv They agreed with the Tories, that the Hcentipufnefg- of the prefs had been carried to extremities ; but by none further, than by the pretended friends of the church of England. A vote was pafl'ed, with which the commons concurred, that the church was in a fafe and flourifliing condition ; and that whoever fhould fug-rv geft that the eflablifhed religion was in dangei^. was an enemy tO' the Queen,, the church, and the kingdom °. During thefe difputes between the parties with regard to the in- Progrefs to^ ternal affairs of England, tlie two houfes proceeded almoft without "^^"^^ ^" debate, in the bufmcfs of the union with Scotland. The parlia- ment of the latter kingdom had addreffe:! the Queen, againft any progrefs in that important treaty, till the Englifh a£t which con- ditionally declared the Scots aliens fhould be repealed "'. The Whigs having firfl: moved for that compulfatory law, the Tories imagined that they would flill adhere to their own work. They refol'ved, therefore, to prefs them on that ground, by pro- moting an immediate repeal'. But their opponents yielding-,' prudently the point, without oppofuion, they were difappointed in their views. The ad declaring the Scots aliens by a certain day, was not only reverfed ; the Whigs went flill further, andi!* moved that the aft relating to the manufadure and trade of Scot- ' land Ihould be alfo repealed. Thefe meafures, by opening a way for an immediate treaty, were as popular as they were necefTliry. . Though a majority of the parliament of Scotland were alreadyo.- gained by private means, the body of the people were ftill in-n^ flamed, to a degree of fury, with regard to their independence as " Dec 6,,i7oj. " Journals, Nov. 23,. * Buinct, vol. iv. a nation. u. i.o; 536 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^ vf ^ ^ nation. Any backwardnefs in the parliament of England, o« the fuhjed of the compulfatory laws, would have brought matters to extremities; and, confidering the party in favour of the lineal fuccenion among the Englifti, a war could fcarce terminate in any event fliort of a fubverfion of the fettlement of the crown in the Proteftant line. U^ianimity TuE fame unanimity which was obferved with regard to «oihewar. Scotland, was purfued without deviation in whatever concerned the effedual profecution of the v/ar. Though the campaign in Flanders was neither fplendid nor followed with ftriking confe- ■quences, the rediidion of a confiderable portion of Spain, through the fole efforts of the Englifh nation, had raifcd among the people an eagernefs for continuing hoflilities, which imparted itfelf to their reprefentatives in parliament. The Duke of Marlborough, having vifited Vienna, where he was raifed to the dignity of Prince of Mindelheim, by the Emperor, arrived in London on the thirtieth of December. Though he received the thanks of the la'nuVr'y. houfe of commons % for his fervices in the laft campaign, fome attacks, but indiredllv, were made in the houfe of lords on his condudl by the excluded party. The difappointments on the Mofclle, were by an implication laid to his charge ; and though ' the blame of the inadlive campaign in Brabant vras placed to the account of the Dutch, it was apparent, that the Tories, had cir- cumftanees become more favourable, intended to pafs a cenfure on the Duke of Marlborough. March. Though the remaining part of the feffion was diilinguiilied Proceedings - , _ . ^ . , of the two with no bunneis of importance, the animofities between the two parties filled every debate with altercation and noife. The people without doors were not difinterefted fpedlators of the tranfadions within. They were roufed with libels and pamphlets which y January 7, 1706. zealots, Q^U E E N ANN E. 337 17C6. iealot^, on both fides, poured dally from the pref$ ; and tl»ey ^ ^ '^ *'• fuffered themfclves, as ufu^l, to he deceived by the dcfignlng, or inflamed by )th,e violci)! an^ weak. Among tlic publicailons ^concerning the propofcd invitation of tlie prefumptivc heir of Jthe crown to England, one commanded the attention and incurred the cenfure of parliament. Sir Rowland Gwyne, a bufy, felfifh, forward, ^d intriguing ipan ; violent in his principles, fufplcious through weaknefs, deceiving others, and, perhaps, deceived him- felf, by feeing objects through the muddy medium of a clouded underftanding, had repaired to the court of Hannover to gain the favour of the ele£loral family, by alarming their fears concerning ihe fucceffion of the Britilli crowns. Upon the fubjedl cf the invitation to the Princefs Sophia, Gwyne wrote a letter to the Ea^l of Stamford which found its way to the prefs. This ill-work- ed, unmeaning, and confufed performance, though it feemed to •approve of the principles of the Whigs, feverely cenfured that party for refufing their confent to the propofed invitation of the Princefs Sophia into England. The commons, on the eighth of March, voted Gwyne's letter a fcandalous, falfe, and malicious libel. The lords concurred with them in an addrefs, upon this occafion, to the Queen; who r£plied, that being fully fenfible of the pernicious tendency of the paper which they had cenfured, (he would comply with their rcqueft and give orders to profecute the printer and author '. The great bufinefs of the nation being finifhed, the parlla- ParHament ment was prorogued, on the nineteenth of March. The conteft P"'"'^"'^' between parties, contrary to former experience, had been pro- ,4udiye, in this fe0ion, of meafures confidered highly favourable to the profperity and repofe of the kingdom. The Tories, in endeavouring .to ta](ce the ground of the Whigs, and to appropriate « March 8. Vol. II, X X to 33? HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. to themfelves their popularity, produced the a£t of regency, which gave the firft great fecurity to the defcent of the crown in ''"' ■ the Pr'oteftant line. Though the laws had fixed the fucceflion on the houfe of Hannover, five years before, the fuppofed attach- ment of the Queen to her own family, the numerous party known to be well-afFedcd to the pretended Prince of Wales, the prejudices of the people againft foreigners, and the memory of the inconvenience of connexions abroad in the lafl reign, had rendered the fuccefs of the ait of fettlement extremely doubtful. During this flate of uncertainty, little court was paid by the fub- je£ts of England to the electoral family. Few vifited the court of Hannover ; and thofe who made their appearance there, either through zeal or weaknefs, like Gwyne, hurt the caufe which they meant to ferve *. Aaofre- The Princefs Sophia herfclf, either fufpedllng the fincerlty oF feTt^o* Han- Queen Anne and her minifters, or mifled by the reprefentations of the few Englifh who reforted to the court of Hannover, entertain- ed little hopes that her family fhould ever mount the throne. She even feems to have placed no value on the ads of regency and naturalization which paiTed in the prefent feffion ^ She probably foon after changed her fentiraents. On the fourth of April, her grandfon, the eledoral prince, was made a knight-companion of the garter. The Lord Halifax, accompanied by Clarencieux king at arms, was fent to Hannover to carry the enfigns of the order to the prince, and to prefent the ad of naturalization to his family. The current began to run with vehemence in that chan- nel. The lords who could claim any merit in promoting the ads in favour of the houfe of Hannover, made their court with letters full of exprefTioris of attachment and zeal. The Whigs adopted "chiefly this mode of removing the unfavourable impreffions ^ Hannover- papers, ^ Ibid. mad« cover. •QJJ E E N ANN E.^ 339 n\ade on the minds of the eledoral family, by the inconfidcrate ^ HA p. infinuations of Sir Rowland Gwyne, and other zealots of the < /-— / fame kind % The ftrife between the Whigs and Tories, in fliewing an Obfervations. appearance of zeal for the family of Hannover, proceeded more from the felfifh views bf their refpe£tive leaders, than from mo- tives of public good. ' To tecure the good opinion of the people, in countries pofTefled- of liberty, is the fhorteft way of gaining, and the fureft means of retaining power. In the political farces too frequently exhibited by parties, the populace are the fpedla- tors ; and thofe who fuit their ahtick geftures beft to their prejudices, carry the mofl applaufe. Two principles had long been predominant in the minds of the Englifli nation : a fixed averfion to France ; and a zeal, which bordered on enthufiafm, for the Proteftant religion. The manly fpirit which undeviatingly looks forward to public freedom, independent of common pre- judices, fell only to the fhare of a few. The pretence to that fpirit, though a ftale impofture, feldom failed to impofe on the world. The Whigs, when they affedted to give the great fecu- rity to the Proteftant fuccefTion, paid their court to the populace, in a manner inconfiftent with the avowed principles of their party. They repealed, in the bill of regency, the limitations which the Tories had impofed on the fuccefTor in the a£t of fettle- ment ; and, with a franknefs fcarce confiftent with common pru- dence, boafted openly, that they reftored to the crown all its former prerogatives. The fpirit of party, however, had been carried to fuch a pitch, that every meafure calculated to annoy their adverfaries, was deemed, not only juftifiablc, but even laudable, by both fides. Though the happy timidity of the Lord Godolphin had much Secret con- • f / n r duaofGo- contributed to give the great fecurity to the Proteftant fucceflion,, dolphin. ' Hannover-pagers. X X 2 he 340 HISTORY OF GltEAT BIltTAm. CHAP. lie was too much attached to the exdudcd family to take any merit t— =,>:-:i^ to himfclf r.ith their rivals. His adlions were even at variance- ' * ^vith his principles in his public condud;. In his private (iapacity,- with an odd inconfiftent fpecies of fincerity, he avoided to mak& profeffions where he wifhed not to be of fervice. When he pro- moted, in the face of the world, the fucceffion of the houfe of Hannover, he continued his intercourfe with the family of Stuart^ through their agents '. His fears of impeachment, however, prevailed over his affedion for the excluded race. Though the Duke of Marlborough had promifed ', in his name, to the agents of the court of St. Germains, that no money fhould be given to gain votes for the union, in the parliament of Scotland, the ter- rors of Godolphin returned, and he opened the treafury to the avarice of the venal and the neceffities of the needy. The fecret fpring which moved the great meafures of his adminiftration, lay in a defed of his mind ; and, by a Angular piece of good fortune, to his character, his country afcribed to his diftinguiflted parts, a line of condud which fprung from his political cow- ardice. Campaign of DuRiNG thefe important tranfadlons at home, preparation^ *^*^* were made abroad for opening, with vigour, the campaign, oa every fide. The Duke of Marlborough having left the Hague^ on the ninth of May, joined, on the twentieth of the month, the united armies of England and the States, between Borchloea and Grofzwaren. France, in an evil hour for herfelf, had re- folved to z€(. offenfively in Flanders. The Marefchal dc Villeroi^ ifluing from the lines which he had formed behind the Deule, ad- vanced to Tirlemont ; and, without waiting for the arrival of the EIe£lor of Bavaria, with whom he was joined in the command, puflied forward precipitately to Ramillies. When his front had advanced to the heights where rifes the little Geette, he per- * Smart papers, 1 706* " Ihi J» j>Ai. ceived MIA'T013 E EN'^A-N N E.^T2!H 34f ceived the allies, on full march, appearing in fight. He Imme- ^ ^ f^ ''• diately formed his army in order of battle. The Geette and an " •* impaflabte morals running along its banksv covered ht» left wing ; and prevented it alike from being attacked itfclf and from charg- ing the enemy. The -village of RamilHes, fituated in a plain near the fource of the Geette, was advanced before his centre» •which confifted entirely of infantry. The village of Tavieres, on the banks of the Mehaigne, covered his right wing ; and an open and level fpace, between Tavieres and RamilHes, about a mile and a half in length, was filled with one hundred fquaJrons of horfe. In this narrow aperture the battle of Ramillies was fought, on the twenty-third of May '. On a rifing ground, oppofed to the left of the enemy, atong Battle of the fwampy fide of the Geette, the Duke of Marlborough formed his right. His line extended through the plain to the left, which was covered by the river Mehaigne. Having, by a feigned attack on the right of the French, which was, in fad, impradlicabk, deceived the Marefchal de Villeroi, he obtained his purpofe of obliging the enemy to thin their left, which introduced a con- fufion, while it weakened their line in the only place where they . ,. ^ . could be attempted with advantage. The Duke, in the mean time, ordered Auverquerque, wi^th the Dutch infantry, to begin the battle on the left, while he himfelf, covering his motions with the rifing ground, fell at once on the centre of the enemy, with all the foot that formed his own. The French making a gallant refiftance, Marlborough ordered all his cavalry to make a home charge. But, in the hurry, he himfelf, being a bad horfemar^, falling to the ground, was in danger of being trampled to death by his own fquadrons. Being remounted, he purfued his plan of attack, while, at the fame time, the Danifh horle, under the Duke of Wirtemberg, fell on their flank, and completing * N. S. Mem. dii Mar^. de FeiKjuiere. *>' " the i7o6. 342 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the diforder which Marlborough had begun, the whole centre of the enemy, on which the ftrcfs of the battle lay,, were routed and put to flight '. The horfc having abandoned the foot with which they were interlined, the latter were cut to pieces. Ramillies. The Elector of Bavaria and the Marefchal de Villeroi, fhewed more courage in endeavouring to retrieve the battle, than they fhewed of condu6l in forming their line. They made repeated, but vain, efiorts to bring back the cavalry to the charge. The houfehold troops rallied, renewed the battle, and were again forced to fly. To complete the misfortunes of the French, the remark- able circumftance, which happened at the village of Blenheim two years before, was a fecond time exhibited, at that of Ramillies. Eight battalions, which De Villeroi had placed in that village in his front, maintained their port, till they perceived their main body driven from the field. In endeavouring to retreat, toward their left, which had not been at all engaged, they were attacked by the cavalry of the allies, before they could form themfelves in the field. Confufion, flaughter, and flight prevailed. Many were cut to pieces, the reft were difperfed. The right wing, in the mean time, gave way before the Dutch, and direded their flight toward Charleroy. A complete victory remained to the allies. The remains of the enemy, Iiaving attempted, in vain, to ftand behind the Deule, were forced to retreat from thence, and to take fhelter under the cannon of Lifle^ ■ Confe- Though no victory could be more complete than that obtained ?hat"import- ^^ Ramillics, the adion may rather be called a rout than a battle. ant aaion. ^-j^g allies, through the wretched difpofition of Villeroi, beat, in lefs than a quarter of an hour, an army of eighty thoufand men, who left no more than three thoufand dead in the field ""i took one hundred pieces of cannon, and a great quantity of bag- ^ Mem. de Fequiere. « Ibid. Kane's Mem. *' Mem. du Marq. de Feuquiere. , ) 3 gage. Q^UEEN ANNE. 343 gage, together with all the various trophies of war'. The con- fequences of this rout were as important in themfelves, as they were ftriking and extraordinary. The fugitives were not to be ''"' ' rallied, till they had carried then^felves, not only beyond the pur- fuit, but even the very report of the enemy. Their firft ftand was made about eighty miles from the field of battle. Nor durft they even remain at Courtray, where firft they formed the ap- pearance of an army. Some were placed in the frontier garrifons of France. The boldeft formed themfelves into two inconfidcrable flying armies, more calculated to amufe, than to oppofe a vi£lo- rious enemy. The total conqueft of Brabant, and almoft all Spanifli Flanders, was the immediate confequence of the vidlory. Louvain, BrufTels, Antwerp, Mechlin, Aloft, Ghent, and Oudenarde, furrendercd without firing a gun; and the firft ftop was put to the progrefs of the alliesj by Dendermonde and Oftende. The latter, however, was forced to capitulate, after the trenches were open eight days> Menin I'urrendered, after an obftinate refiftance; and the fieges of Dendermonde and Ath, which were taken fuc- cefTively, concluded, in Flanders, the operations of this important campaign. The Marefchal de Villeroi being recalled, he was fucceeded in campaign m his command, by the Duke de Vendome. The removal of the ''^'y* laft from Italy, contributed to frefli misfortunes, which loft to. the houfe of Bourbon, Savoy, Piedmont, and the whole Milanefe. The beginning of the campaign in Italy, was favourable fqr France and Spain. The Duke of Berwick took the caftle of Nice, on the fourth of January. Vendome having de- feated the Germans at Calcinato, on the nineteenth of April, ordered Turin itfelf to he invefted, on the third of May. The trenches were opened by the French, on the night of the fecond of June; and the fate of the war in Italy, feemed to ' Hift, de France, torn. iii. depend S44 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C 'J A p. <3epend on tlie taking of that important place. The Duke of Savoy, avoiding to fhut hiinielf up in his capital, and having fent ' ■ his family to Genoa, retired, with a fevsr troops, to the vallies of Lucerne, among his proteftant fubjeds, the Vaudois. The ftrength of the town, tlie bravery of the garrifon, together with the lan- guor, and even unflcilfulnefs of the enemy^ who were nominally under the command of the Duke of Orleans, protraded the fiege to the beginning of September, when a great event put an end, in Italy, to all the hopes and efforts of the houfe of Bourbon. Battkof Prince Eugene, who commanded the German army, on the frontiers of the dominions of Venice, after a long and painful march, and having paflTed feveral rivers and many defiles, without being oppofed, arrived in the neighbourhood of Turin, in the iirft week of September, joined the Duke of Savoy, and refolved to attack the enemy. The Duke of Orleans and the Marefchal de Marfm, who commanded the French army, had ftrong'y fortified themfelves with entrenchments, which extended all the way be- tween the Doria and Stura, at the jundion of which is fituated the city of Turin. Though the enemy had made little impreffion on the works, the garrifon began to be in great danger, through the want of ammunition. No time was, therefore, to be loft. The Prince, having made his difpofitions for the attack, fell fuddenly on the entrenchments of the enemy; and, after an obftinate con- teft, for two hours, entered their camp, drove them from the field, took all their cannon, mortars, heavy baggage, ammunition, and implements employed in the fiege. The Duke of Orleans himfelf was wounded. The Marefchal de Marfin was killed. The fugi- tives, inftead of retiring to Cafal, which would have maintained the Milanefe, dire£led their retreat to Pignerol; In the fpace of four hours, the Modenefe, the Mantuan, the Milanefe, Piedmont, and ultimately the kingdom of Naples, were loft to the houfe of Bourbon. A complete viilory obtained by the Count de Medavi, 7 over QJJ E E N ANNE. 345 .over a fmall army of Imperialifls, under the command of die Prince ^ ^l,''^ ^• of Heffe, two days after the battle before Turin, ferved only to aggravate the misfortunes of that adion"". 1706. The lioufe of Bourbon were pcrfccuted in Spain, with mlsfor- Piogrf Cs of tunes fmiilar to thofe which they fuffered in Flanders and in Italy. Except the taking of Villareal, which was forced, on the eighth of January, by the Conde de Las-Torres, the whole of the cam- paign formed one continued train of difgraces and lofTes. The Archduke Charles having, by the aid of the Englifh, eftablifhed himfelf in the winter in Spain, Philip the Fifth, and theMarefchal de Teffe advanced, with twenty thoufand men, and fhut him up at Barcelona, while the Comte de Touloufe blocked up the place by fea, with a French fleet. When a pradicable breach was made, a fortunate accident preferved the place, and, with it, the footing which the allies had eftabliflied in Spain. A fuperior fleet appearing, under Sir John Leake, on the coaft, the Comte de Touloufe precipitately retired in the night. A reinforcement of troops was thrown into Barcelona. Philip and the Marefchal de Tefle raifed the fiege in the utmoft confufion. An almofl: total eclipfe of the fun, which happened on the twelfth of May, and covered the country with a fudden darknefs, completed the confter- nation of the fuperftitious Spaniards, They abandoned their camp, their provifions, their cannon, their. implements of war ; and were purfued, with flaughter, by the enemy, through the uncommon darknefs which had excited fo much their _fear. Philip having taken a circuit, with his broken and ruined army, through a part of the dominions of France, returned in difgrace to Madrid'. , On the fide of Portugal, the Englifli and Portugueze took .the andfuccefsof field, with forty thoufand men, under the command of the Earl of spab.'*' "^ '■ German accounts. Hill, de Fiance. Mem. du Marq. dc Feuquiere, ' Hift. d'Efpagne, torn. ii. Vol. IL Y y Galway, 346 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Galway and the Marquis de Las-Minas. They entered Eftra-* madura, they took Alcantara, they forced Cividad-Rodrigo, Sala- '^'^ ■ manca, and the poft of Efpinar. They diredted their march, and- penetrated, without refiftance, to Madrid. PhiHp the Fifth, hav- ing abandoned his capital, removed the Queen and the court to Burgos. The Englifh and the Portugueze entered the city ia triumph; and to complete the misfortunes of the King of Spain^ he received intelligence, that the count de Sanda-Cruz had de- livered Carthagena and the gallies to the enemy. 1 he unaccount- able errors of the Englifh and Portugueze prevented the Spaniflx crownj from being for ever transferred from the houfe of Bour- bon. They loitered in the midft of difeafe, debauchery, and floth, at Madrid, till they were roufed by the approach of Philip, with a fuperior force. Galway and Las-Minas were forced to retire from Madrid. Having joined the Archduke, they pafled into the kingdom of Valencia ; and difpofed their quarters in fuch a man- ner, as to cover the kingdoms of Arragon and Catalonia, and maintain a free entrance into Caftile. The Duke of Berwick hung clofeon their retreat; and, before the end of the campaign, re- took Carthagena. But that lofs was balanced, by the redudionof the iflands of Majorca and Ivica, which the Englifii fi'et, under- 3ir John Leake, fubjeded ta the dominion of the Archduke"". Operations Qn the fide of Germany, the French enjoyed a gleam of that on the fide of •' ' . Germany. good fortune which had formerly attended their arms. The Marefchal de Villars, with a v^^ell appointed army, was oppofed to the Prince of Baden, who was himfelf in a declining ftate of health, while, at the fame time, he was ill fupported by the court of Vienna. The French forced the Imperialifts to raife the blockade of Fort- Louis. They feized the retrenchments of Drufenheim ", which the Prince of Baden had abandoned. They recovered all they had loft, in the preceding campaign j and fuch was their fuperio- ■ Hifl. d Efpagne. Naval Kiil. &c » May ?. 7 "^7 QJJ E E N A N N E. 347 rity and the languor of the Germans, that had not the misfortunes ^ ^ /^ **• in Flanders and Italy difconcerted the court of Verfailles, and ' ' weakened, by the neceflary detachments, the army of the Mare- fchal de Villars, that commander might have penetrated, \Arith fuccefs, into the heart of Germany. But opprelTed with the misfortunes which attended the arms of France in every other quarter, Villars difcovered a kind of melancholy confolation, in having found himfelf capable of avoiding difafters, without endea- vouring to retrieve, in Germany, the laurels which his country had loft on every other fide". The operations of the fleet, in the Mediterranean, contributed Naval tranf. much to the fuccefs of the allies, on the fide of Spain, liut no naval tranfadion of any importance happened, in the ocean. A Frenchman, who alTumed the title and character of the Marquis de Guifcard, had, with a kind of vivacity, which pafled upon the world for parts, infinuated himfelf into the favour and confidence of the Englifh miniftry, and formed the plan of an expedition to the coaft of France. In compliance with the intelligence com- municated by this adventurer, land forces to the number of ten thoufand men, were fent on board of tranfports, under the pro- tedtion of the confederate fleets, commanded in chief by Sir Cloudfley Shovel. The Earl of Rivers, a man of a profligate character % and venal principles, but perfonally brave, was placed at the head of the forces deftined for the expedition. But the plan was fo indefinite and ill-projed:ed, that a contrary vpind, which drove back the fleet, and confined the fhips of war and tranfports to the channel, till the feafon for adion was pafl:, might be confidcred as a Angular interpofition of good fortune. The avowed fcheme of the Marquis de Guifcard was to reftore liberty to France. But he behaved himfelf with fuch tyranny and folly, in a command in which he had been placed by the indulgence of • Hift. d'AIlcaiagne, torn. vii. f Swift's Notei on Macky, MS. Y y a the 48 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Affairs of the North, the Engllfli government, that he was recalled from the fleet, at the fpecial requeft of the admiral. During thefe important tranfadlons in the fouth and weft of Europe, the affairs of the north and eaft fuffered a material change. The death of Auguftus Frederic, Bifhop of Lubec, had threatened, in the end of the preceding year, to involve the north in new troubles. Prince Charles of Denmark, and the Duke Ad- mlniftrator of Holftein-Gottorp, had their refpedlve pretenfions on the vacant bifhopric. The latter took poifellion in virtue of an election made ofhimfelf, in the quality of coadjutor. Prince Charles, fupported by iiis brother, the King of Denmark, made himfelf mafter, by force, of the caftle of Eutin ; while the King of Sweden and the Elector of Hannover, declared themfelves on the other fide. While the forces of the two lafl Princes were ready to march againft the Danes, the Queen of England and the States of the United Provinces interpofed their good offices, in quenching the flame which was ready to involve the whole north in a frefh war. The troops of Denmark retired from the caftle of Eutin ; and the place was delivered, in fequeftration, to the refidents of England and Holland. The refidents, however, reftored the pof- feffion of Eutin and its dependencies to the Prince Adminiftrator of Holftein-Gottorp, without prejudice to the rights of Prince Charles of Denmark ''. Affairs of Poland. In Poland, the invincible courage of the King of Sweden triumphed overall the fchemes of his adive and obftinate enemies, the Ruffians and the Saxons. That indefatigable Prince profited by the winter, and flew to frefh vldories along the ice, with which the rigour of the feafon had covered the rivers and marffies. Renfchild, his general, having, by a feint, inveigled the enemy from their ftrong pofts in the woods, defeated the combined s Iliil. du Nord, torn, i. armies. Q^U E E N A N N E. 349 armies, with great flaughter, on the thirteenth of February. In this decifive battle, in which no quarter was granted to the Ruf- fians, feven thoufand men were killed on the fpot. Eight thou- fand prifoners, with the baggage, cannon, colours, and provifions of the enemy, fell into the hands of the vi£tors. To put an end to the troubles of Poland, by carrying the war into the hereditary dominions of King Auguftus, Charles the Twelfth, with twenty- four thoufand men, diredling his march toward Silffia, pafled the Oder, entered Saxony, and placed his camp at Alt-Ranftadt, near the plains of Lutzen, famous for the viftory and death of Gufta- vus Adolphus. King Auguftus, unable to cope with a powerful and vidorious enemy, in the heart of his country, had no re- fource but in a treaty of peace; which he could only obtain on the moft humiliating terms. He was forced to renounce all pre- tenfions to the crown of Poland, and to acknowledge Staniflaus as lawful fovereign of that kingdom "■» His march into the heart of Germany, his vidories in the fe'n^felred^ courfe of the war, the humiliating terms of peace, to which he had and courted reduced King Auguftus, the ftate of the contending powers in general, and the kind of balance which was ftill preferved, not- withftanding the viddries of the allies over the armies of the lioufe of Bourbon, had raifed the King of Sweden into the emi- nent fituation of being the umpire of the fate of Europe. Man- kind turned their attention to that monarch, in a degree equal to their hopes from his fpirit, or their fears from his power. France courted his friendfhip, with a vehemence proportionable to the diftrelTed condition of her affairs. The emperor dreaded that the prefence of Charles in Germany might kindle difturbances, which, by employing the force of the empire at home, might difappoint the views of his own family on the Spanifh throne. The diet of Ratifbon fliewed a difpofition of declaring the King of ' HiiU du Notd, torn. ii. Sweden vuion fettled. 35a fTISTOUY OV GT^EAT BRITAIN. C H A P. Sweden an enemy to the empire. But the Emperor himfelf found ' . — —f means to foften any refentment that might arife in the bread of ^''° * that enterprifmg Prince, by flattering his pride. Befides, the mind of Charles was too much engaged, with the defign of re- ducing the Czar of Mufcovy, into the fame abje£t condition with the iiledor of Saxony, to permit him to entertain thoughts of any other kind. He, therefore, liftened, without being moved, to the iiiftances of France ; and yielded to the defire of the Emperor, Avithout any attachment to his caufe*. Articles of "While the prefent year was rendered remarkable abroad, with military tranfadions of great importance and renown, it was diftinguiflied at home, by an event equally memorable in the xivil line. The Queen, in confequence of powers veiled in her pcrfon, by the parliaments of England and Scotland, had appointed commiffioners of both nations to meet,and treat concerning an Unioa of the two kingdoms. They met accordingly, for the firft time, at the Cockpit, on the fixteenth of April ; and, having continued their fittings, at intervals, to the twenty third of July, they prefented the articles, upon which they had agreed, to her Majefty. The mod material of thefe were the following: That the two king- .^oms (hould be united into one, by the name of Great Britain. That the fucceffion of the united kingdom fhould remain to the Princefs Sophia and the heirs of her body, being proteftants. That the whole people of Britain fhould be reprefented by one parliament, in which fixteen peers and forty-five commoners chofen for Scotland, fhould fit and vote. That the fubjeds of the united kingdom fhould enjoy a full freedom and intercourfe of trade and navigation ; and a reciprocal communication of all other rights, privileges, and advantages, belonging to the fubjeds of either kingdom. • Hiftoria Polona, p. 32^. But Q_U E E N A N N E. 351 BiTT though the commlfTioners had fettled, without much dlf- CHAP. ficulty, the articles of union, there was reafon to apprehend, that »— ^ — / the treaty would meet with great oppofition, in the parliament of views and Scotland, The body of the people, either fwayed by the adhe- rents of the excluded family, or yielding to the didates of their pride, were utterly averfe to a meafure which annihilated them, in a manner, as a nation. The hopes of the court of St. Germains rofe in proportion, to the violence which prevailed among the Scots. Relying, in fome degree, on the promifes of the Duke of Marl- ■ borough ', that no money fhould be fent from the treafury of England, to gain votes in Scotland, they hoped that the treaty would be rejedled by a majority in parliament ; and they extended their views to an immediate advantage to their own caufe, from a certainty of the diRurbances that were to enfue. Their party in Scotland, endeavoured, in the mean time, to be provided againft the worfl: events. Confcious of the venality of many of their own number, they could not trufl: the fate of the meafure to their avowed principles. They, therefore, demanded fuccours from France ; and refolved to appeal from parliament to the decifion of the fword. Having long forefeen what afterwards happened, they had opened a communication with Lewis the Fourteenth, whofe intereft, they knew, efpecially in the untoward ftate of his affairs, was intimately connected with their caufe. The cagernefs, with which rhe Whigs in England, preffed the feff" in- miniftry of that kingdom to accomplifh an union^ with Scotland, had greatly increafed the number of the friends of the excluded family. In the two preceding years, the Jacobites had made frequent propofals to the French King, to which he paid little attention, as long as the misfortunes of the war had left him the power of giving effectual aid. To fatisfy himfelf, however, con- cerning the folidity of the alTurances tranfmitted repeatedly from ' Stuajt papers, Scotland, 352 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Scotland, he fent one Hooke, an Engllfh Catholic, and a colonel in his fervice, with letters from himfelf and the pretended Prince of Wales, to the leaders of the malccontents in that kingdom. Hooke arriving in the month of Auguft 1705, executed his com- miffion, in a manner calculated to defeat his own views. Attach- ing himfelf to a particular fct of the cavaliers, he offended the reft; ; while his extreme vanity and arrogance difgufled feme, and rendered all unwilling to truft: themfelves in his hands. They, however, made general aflurances of their fidelity, and promifed their utmoft exertions in favour of the excluded family, fliould the French King land the pretender in Scotland, with a force fuffi- cient to protect his perfon, till his friends Jliould affemble in arms". ofthejt- Hooke, having received thefe general affurances, returned to France ; and the Jacobites unanimoufly made choice of one Captain Stratton, as their agent, to inquire into the real difpofi- tion of the court of Verfailles. They had previoufly founded the Tories in England, particularly the Duke of Leeds and the Lord Granville. But they found them more cautious than themfelves; and unwilling to agree to any attempt in favour of the pretended Prince of Wales, during the life and reign of his fifter Queen Anne. The Scots, however, were not difcouraged. Urged by their violent principles, and beyond meafure averfe to the union, they refolved to hazard every thing to accomplifli their views. Stratton was well received by the court of Verfailles. But the battles of Ramillies and Turin had difconcerted all their meafures. Jjcwis declared, that he could fpare neither men nor money, in the prefent untoward ftate of his affairs. Thar, however, he would fearch for a more favourable conjundure, and effedually fupport the caufe of the excluded family. With thefe affurances, and with letters from the Pretender to the leaders of his party, Stratton returned ; and the Jacobites found themfelves obliged to abandon " Stuart-papers. Lcckhart's Memoirs. 2 ' the Q^U E E N A N N E. 355 tlie fate of the union to their efforts, in conjundlon with the country-party, in the approaching feffion of parliament. They, however, entertained no hopes of fuccefs, nor had they oa 5. . . , , n-.i n • Parliament Teafon to exped it in a legal way. They were Itrangers neither meets. to the venality of the members, nor to the effedual meafurcs taken by the court of England to gain a majority, through the channels of ambition and avarice. The repeated promifes of the Duke of Marlborough ", to the court of St. Germains, that no money fliould be fent to Scotland were little regarded by Godol- phin. His fears for himfelf had overcome his attachment to the excluded family; and, though he feemed, from the wretched pittance he bellowed, in fome meafure unwilling to enfure fuccefs, no fum was too little for purchafing the votes of the Scotifh mem- bers. A great majority being thus procured, the parliament, to which Queenfberry was appointed commiffioner, was fuffered to meet, on the third of Odober. The treaty of Union being read, -was ordered to be printed, and the houfe adjourned for feven days. The people, who had been hitherto foothed with fa- vourable reports of the articles, became outrageous, finding themfelves, as they thought, deceived. The interval of the ad- journment was filled with tumults, clamour, and confufion, without doors. But, within, a determined refolution was formed to adhere to the articles of the treaty ". The members in oppofition endeavouring to protrad mea- A great ma- fures which they could not prevent, moved for a day of fading Union. and prayer, to procure the dlredion of the Almighty in the im- portant affair of the Union. The motion being over-ruled, together with another for a delay of eight days, the houfe pro- ceeded to the confideration of the treaty, article by article. On every vote, a majority of more than two to one appeared for the "" Stuart-papers, 1705, 1706. " Lockhart's Memoirs. Vol. H. Z z Unioo. 354 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Union. The peers, who gained the leaft by the treaty, were the mofl: eager for its being approved. Many of that order, in par- ticular the Earl of Roxburgh, facrificed their former zeal againft an. utiion, to promifes of being advanced to higher honours. Others yielded to their neceffities, or liftened to their avarice. Some-, who perceived the violence of the Jacobites, abetted,, through principle, a treaty, which was likely to put an end to the romantic fchemes of that refllefs party. A few, tired of the unmeaning fadions which had fo long diftraded the kingdom,, favoured the Union from a view of repofe. All feeraed to be flattered with the hopes of extending, in time, aver Great Britain, thofe privileges and honours which were now confined to a nar- row corner of the ifland. Thefe motives combining with that fubferviency to the views of the reigning prince, which peers derive from the crown with their patents, threw the weight of the nobility of Scotland on the fide of a treaty, that feemed cal- culated to render their order infignificant if not contemptible. Tumults in The whole month of Odober '' was fpent in reading and de- Scotland. , . . . bating, article by article, the treaty of Union. Though no decifive vote was yet propofed, the people perceived from the complexion of the houfe, that the whole would be approved by the parliament. During the debates the mob rofe at Edinburgh, and committed every fpecies of outrage and extravagance. The members who favoured the Union, the fervants of government, and the commiflTioner himfelf, were menaced and infulted. Thofe who oppofed the treaty were received with the acclamations of the populace every where, and denominated the friends, patrons, and even faviours of their native land. But when, in the beginning of November, the parliament proceeded to approve of the articles, addrefTes againft the Union were poured in from every fide. The populace, roufed to a degree of fury, throughout the kingdom, y Proceedings of Scot, pari, threatened i7S->« QJJ E E N ANNE. "tlireatened to come in a body to Edinburgh, to diflblve a parlia- rnent which, they faid, was ready to betray their country. In Glafgow in particular, the inhabitants took arms, drove their ma- giftrates out of the city, infulted fuch as favoured the Union, and hung, in effigy, the commiflioners who had agreed to that treaty. The uncommon rigour of the feafon could only fave the parlia- ment from the vengeance of the people ; who, had they not been prevented by the inclemency of the weather, v/ere determined to pour from every quarter to Edinburgh, to tear to pieces the ob- noxious part of their reprefcntatives ^. While the populace exhibited fuch fymptoms of fury without Debates "m 'doors, the country-party endeavoured to roufe the fpirit of the members within. Mr. Fletcher of Salton, the Lord Belhaven, and particularly the Duke of Hamilton, ufed, upon the occafion, all the force of their pathetic eloquence. On the fubjed of the ninequal reprefentation of Scotland, the latter expreffed himfelf in terms full of animation and force. " Shall we then, in an hour," he faid, " yield with a vote, what our fathers maintained, for fo many ages, with the fword ? Am I now heard by none of the defcendants of thofe illuftrious patriots, who aided Bruce to reftore the conftitution, to revenge the treachery of England, to overturn the mean ufurpation of Baliol ? Where are the Douglafles ? Where the Campbels ? Where are the peers, and where the barons* cnce the bulwark of our nation ? Have they left no pofterity either to improve on their glory, or to defend the rights which they have tranfmitted from ancient times ? The children of thofe who aided them in the purfuit of honour, are more faithful to the ■reputation of their anceftors. The people have neither forgot nor contemned the freedom which their fathers preferved with their blood. But the nobles, a degenerate race, are ready to ftain the honours, though they bear the titles of their anceftors. Shall we then tamely give up the independence and fovereignty of our * Mem. of Scotland. Z z 2 country, zs^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. VI. 1706. country, when we are entreated and even commanded to preferve them, by thofe whom we reprefent ? Shall we yield to our fears, or, if pofTible, to meaner motives, when we are aihired of the fupport of a whole nation, roufed to rage by indignity and fliame.'* Arguments sgainft the Union, To thefe declamatory apoftrophcs, the Duke and other menx- bers added arguments of a more folid kind^ They averred, that all the advantages from a participation of government with England, and the repofe that might be expeded from an union with a powerful kingdom, were but mean confiderations for the fpirit which the people mufl lofe with their independence as a nation. They argued, that though individuals might profit by the change, the country in general mufl; fuffer decay from the removal of the feat of government, which, like the heart in the human frame, threw life and vigour from the center to the ex- tremities of the kingdom. They affirmed, that inflead of bring- ing a part of the commerce of England into Scotland, the Union would ruin that of the latter kingdom by carrying away from their native country, to which they would probably never return, the moft enterprifing and the mofl induftrious of its inhabitants. They faid, that imports already laid on the trade of England, would more than counter-balance the prefent difadvantages of that of the Scots, whofe imports and exports were lefs burdened ; and they affirmed, that though fome change for the better might happen, with regard to commerce in fome particular places, that circumftance ought rather to be afcribed to an increafe of induftry in a few individuals, than to the general profperity of the country. They defcended from thefe more obvious arguments, to fpeculative . obfervations. They affirmed, that Scotland, as an independent kingdom, ought to have met in England an equal » Mem. of Scotland, S ground. Q^U E E N ANN E. 357 ground. They flxid, that an Union which deprived any fubje£t of the rights which he already poffelTed, looked more like terms obtained from the indulgence of conquerors, than a treaty volun- tarily concluded between free nations for mutual advantage. They averred, that the Scotifh peers, by relinquifliing the right of their order to fit and vote in parliament, had betrayed the honour of their country, and adually altered its conftitution ; and that the fmall number of the reprefentatives of the people, had efFedlually thrown the nation under the dominion of ftrangers, while it de- prived many individuals of the honour and advantage of having a fhare In framing laws by which they were to be governed. They derived an argument againfl: the Union, from the dangers in which it might involve even the freedom of England and confequently that of Scotland, as united with that kingdom, in its misfortunes, rather than in its advantages. The reprefenta- tives of the Scots, they faid, would inevitably become a poor and defpicable race, depending on the purfe, and confequently on the' will of the Crown ; . and having fhewn fo little concern for the fupport of their own conftitution, it was not to be expedted they would pay any regard to that of another nation. On the other fide it was urged with vehemence, that the The articles Union, in the prefent flate of affairs, was necefTary, and that no ^PP^°'^ ' better terms could be obtained froni the Englilh nation. To this the Duke of Hamilton fiercely replied ; that " he thought the Scots, being on the fame continent with the Englifh, might fur- nifh their own commillioners with a very declfive argument on that fubjed," A profound filence followed thefe words \ None offered to make any reply to an obfervatlon which was, in fad, unanfwerable. Though Scotland had been long torn to pieces with violent factions and obftinate parties, the Union had become much more necefTary for England than for that kingdom. '' oa. 29. Had^, 358 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A P. VI. S— -/ ' J706. Had, therefore, the parliament of Scotland regarded their own future intereft more than a trivial advantage at prcfcnt, there is fcarce any doubt but they could have commanded terms more con- fonant to the independence which they claimed in the name of their country. But though the Jacobites afcribed the pafTing of the a6t of Union to the venality of the mem.bers, they might with equal juftice accufe their own want of fpirit and folly. The Duke of Hamilton himfelf, who {hewed fo much vehemeiKC in fpeaking, yielded, when matters demanded aftion, to a happy timidity, more decifive, with regard to the Union, than all the purchafed votes of his opponents ". Having fettled with all thofe who oppofed the treaty, to quit, under a proteft, the houfe in a body, he fhrunk unexpededly from his own fcheme. The country- party, and moft of the Jacobites, in difguft or defpair, left the town, in the beginning of January, and fuch articles as had not been hitherto approved, were carried with little oppofuion ^ The Prcll.y- terians rc- ■folve to dif- perfe the par- liainent. The prudence, timidity, or, according to the Jacobites, the treachery and private views cf the Duke of Hamilton, by dif- concerting the oppofition, were the chief fprings on which the fuccefs of the Union turned % The lower fort of people through- out the kingdom were inflamed to a degree of madnefs, at the thoughts of being fubjedled, as they conftrued the confequences of the Union, to the government and tyranny of the Englifli nation. The a£t of fecurity, by placing arms in their hands two years before, had rendered them fit for war. The nobility and chiefs of clans, under the fandtion of law, had, for two fuccef- five fummers, called their vaffals to the field, formed encamp- ments, and eftablifhed a degree of difcipline. The Prefbyterians of the Weft, who had fufFered much under the government of the houfe ;o0f Stuart, were now the moft violent to forward their -' Mem. of Scot. Annals of Q^Anne. ' Hooke's Negociations. ■i Mem. of Scot. caufe, 7o6, QiU E E N A N N E. 359 caufe, by defeating the Union, and confcquently the fucceffion ^ HA P. in the family of Hannover. They fent to inform the Duke of Hamilton, that they were preparing to march to Edinburgh to difperfe, to ufe their own expreffions, a wretched parliam-ent, who by fuftering themfelves to be purchafed to the betraying of the honour, profperity, and independence of their country, had forfeited their right to determine for their conflituents, and had become an aflembly of lawlefs and abandoned robbers ^ The Duke of Hamilton oppofed neither the juftnefs of their opinions nor the propriety of their defigns. But he prevented the execution of the latter, by ihewing them that it was not yet the proper time ^ The Earl of Strathmore and the Vifcount Stormont made the fame violent offers for the counties of Perth and Angus, but they were alfo difappointed by the Duke of Hamilton. This myfterious condu£l of Hamilton requires to be explained, '^^^y "^ , , , . . prevented by He was in his principles a violent Jacobite, from the Revolution the Duke os to the end of the fecond year of Queen Anne, His undeviating adherence to the intereft of James the Second, his induftry and negociations in that Prince's favour in England, till the affair of Darien had rendered Scotland a more promifing field for intrigue? had gained to the Duke an unbounded confidence from the court of St. Germains. He conducted himfelf according to their in- ftrudions, and they paid the utmoft deference to his advice. When the country-party, in conjundlion with the Jacobites, had carried repeated refolutions in parliament, that the fucceflbr to the crown of England fliould not mount the throne of Scotland, a gleam of royalty feems to have opened on the Duke of Hamil- ton's mind. This cooled his zeal for the family of Stuart and difconcerted his own meafures, by being an objedl too great and too difficult for his limited capacity. Though after the pof- terity of James the Firft of England, the Duke was the next •l lo .(nsTVl * -vA J> "'o ?,\s.nnk .3od8 lo .msl-. ^ Letter of the Laird of Kcrfland, MS', 6 Protef^ant Hamilton. 360 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. Proteflant heir to the crown of Scotland, he was, by no means, V— . ' qualified to gratify his ambition. His eftate was not great, and '' '' he was overwhehned with debt. He had few vaffals and fcarce any followers, except fuch as looked up to him as the head placed over them by the court of St. Germains. When he hefitated to join in their violent fchemes againfl; the Union, he loft their con- fidence. His moft intimate friends deferted a man, who was be- lieved to have betrayed his party. He was openly accufed of treachery and venality; and the reflexions of others, combining* perhaps, with his own regret, for having abandoned what fortune had placed into his hands, threw him into a violent illnefs, which threatened his diflblutioa'. Refieaions. Though the tcmis of the Union were by no means calculated to flatter the pride of the Scots, as an independent people, no ex- pedient could be deemed unfortunate, that put an end to their own government, as it then ftood. There were radical defeds in the conftitution of the kingdom, which in the beft times and in the ableft hands, could not fail to be produdive of perpetual evils to the nation. The eftates of parliament, by meeting in one houfe and voting promifcuoully, in all debates, created a confufion and promoted a jarring of interefls, more likely to embarrafs than to tranfadl the bufinefs of the public, with regularity and precifion. The number of the peers, the poverty of that order, and their confequent dependence on the crown, by carrying every vote in parliament, left the body of the people, in a manner, without a reprefentative. The weight, which the pofleflion of England threw into the fcale of the fovereign, had improved his authority, before the Revolution, into an almoft uncontroulable tyranny. The crown was abfolute, though government was permitted to retain its ancient form. The blow, which the royal prerogative xeceived in Scotland, in the memorable year 1688, eftablifhed ' Lockhart's Mem. Hooke's Negociations. Stuart-papers, 1 -07. licen- Q^U E E N A N N E. S^r licentioufnefs rather than freedom, in that kingdom. The parlia- ment were placed in a fituation to make the moft for themfelves, at the hands of the King, while the people felt nothing from the alteration in government, but a change of tyrants. 1706. Notwithstanding this untoward pidure of the affairs of ontheumoa. Scotland, the period of time between the Revolution and the paff- ing of the a£t of union, produced men of eminent talents in that kingdom. The freedom of debate, which was introduced by the Revolution into parliament, furnifhed many with the means of difcovering their own parts ; and animated them with an eager- riefs, which mankind miftook for public fpirit. In an evil hour, for the nation, they were divided into many and irreconcilable fadions ; a circum fiance hurtful in, any country, but particularly ruinous, where the field of conteft is too fmall. While they watched the motions of one another, the golden opportunity of mending their own conftitution at home, or of incorporating themfelves, upon honourable and advantageous terms, with Eng- land, was for ever loft. The peculiar fituation of the latter king- dom had placed the fate of her monarchy, in fome meafure, in the hands of the Scots; and the latter could fcarce be called unrea- fonable, fhould they infift upon meeting their more powerful v neighbours upon a footing of greater equality. But in the animo- fity of parties, all regard for the public was loft; and a kind of mean felfillinefs, which fcarce deferved to be dignified with the name of avarice, took poffeffion of every breaft, and marked the age with indelible infamy. While the great event of the union between the Brltilh king- Peace offered doms, was ready to lecure the tranquillity of England at home, ^ """* file prepofteroLifly rejeded propofals for reftoring, upon the moft honourable terms tor herfelf, the general peace of Europe. The French King, broken with the misfortunes of the campaign, on every Vol. II. A a a fide 36i HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAT, frcfe, began ferioufly to think of putting an end to a war, which had \_ -. — _■ already fallen fo heavy on his fiibjeftis, and even thtieatcncd the '''° ■ monarchy of France with danger, if not with difloluuion. Having privately made fome ineftedual applications of this kind to the Slates of the United Provinces, he refolved publickly to fignlfy hisearneft define of peace ; and he, for that jiurpofe, ordered the El'cdlor of Bavaria to wtite letters to the Duke of Marlborough and the field- deputies of the States, to propofe the opening of a general con- grefs ■". As- a proof of his fineerity, he mentioned at once the terms. He offered the dominions of Spain in Italy to the Arch- duke Charles, a barrier in the Netherliands to the States, and a! compenfation to the Duke of Savoy, for the wafte made by the war in his territories. In return, he expe£led, that the territories of Bavaria fhould be reftorcd to their native Prince ; and that his grandfon Philip the Fifth, fhould fit on the throne of Spain and the Indies '. Wantonly THOUGH thefe terms were better than thofe afterwards ob- the allies. tained, confidering the expenee! of treafure and blood, they were not likely to prove agreeable to thofe who led the counfels of the allies. The Duke of Marlborough was fond of the emoluments as well as of the glory of war. Prince Eugene, befides being actuated by fimilar motives, carried an irreconcilable averfion to France, into all his views ; and the penfionary Heinfius, who had the addrefs to lead the counfels of the States, in acting in fubfer- viency to the two generals, yielded to his own intereft. Thefe three dlftinguilhedperfons, were the great fprings that now moved the grand alliance. Befides, the people of England animated with the fuccefs of the war, were unwilling to put an end, by a peace, to the amufement arifing from further vidories. The Emperor, hav- ing the good fortune to have his war fupported by the benevolence and generofity of ftrangers, had relaxed his exertions to a degree * Oft. 21. ' Burnet, vol. iv. Life of Marlborough. 4 that QJJ E E N ANNE. 363 that fulted his convenience ; and he was indifferent how long ^ HA P. a conteft, in which he might gain much and could lofe nothing, — -^ might continue. The King of Portugal and the Duke of Savoy '' werefo little confidered, that they were not confulted; and, from all thefe various caufes, Europe was deftined to remain, for feve- ral years more, a fcene of carnage, diftrefs, and confufion. The Whigs, who were now pofleffed of the whole power of govern- ment in England, infulted common fenfe, in the reafon whiqli they gave for rejecting the propofed peace. They faid, the terms -offered by France were too good to be the foundation of a lafling tranquillity™; and therefore, that they ought not to be admitted. In the attention paid by the people and miniftry, to affairs Dec. 3. beyond the limits of the kingdom, nothing memorable could have meets, happened at home. The parliament having met at Weflminfter, on the third of December, the commons proceeded, with fuch .unanimity, to grant the fupplles, that an ample provifion was made, in the fpace of eighteen days, for the fervice of the fuo- ceeding year. Though the excluded party had neither forgotten their own misfortunes nor forgiven thofe in office, the fplendour of vidlories abroad, and the reputation of their meafures at home, had placed the miniftry beyond the power of any fuccefsful attack. The church-party, therefore, prudently fell down with a ftream which they could no longer oppofe. The two houfes, in congra- tulating the Queen on the fucceffes of the war, neglected not the Duke of Marlborough. They thanked him for his important fer- vic€6. As a more folid, and to the Duke, a no lefs grateful mark of their ^fteem, they paiTed a bill to perpetuate his titles to his pofterity, in the female as well as in the male linej and they con- tinued to his family for ever, the five thoufand pounds a year, whjich the Queen had granted during her own life ". ■ Hannover papers, 1707. " Journals of both houfes. A a a 2 With H HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Union ap- proved by both houfes. With the fame unanimity and zeal, the commons made pro- vifion for an extraordinary debt, to the amount of eight hun- dred thoufand pounds, contraded by the miniftry, in fitting out an expedition, which, having failed, as to the defign on the coafb of France, was diredted afterwards to Portugal. They provided, •with the fame alacrity, for the fum of three hundred and ninety- eight thoufand pounds, as an equivalent to Scotland, for paying, henceforth, the cuftoms and excifes, in the fame proportion with England". This fum, though perhaps ill applied, was intended for the recoinage of the money of Scotland, to difcharge the pub- lic debt, and to repay to the African company, all their lofles with intereft. As the misfortunes of that wretched body of adventurers, were the fource of the dlfturbances which fubfifted among the Scots, for the laft ten years, fo the profped: of repayment was a great inducement to their reconcilement to the meafure which annihilated their government. When the adt of the Scotifh par- liament, confirming the treaty of union, was laid before the Englifli commons, they pafled it without oppofition. In the houfe of lords, it furnifhed a fubjed for debate. But the minority was fo infignificant, that the arguments againft the treaty deferve not to be recorded ''. Parliament prorogued. The parliament having finlflied, with great temper, the im- portant bufinefs of the feffion, were prorogued, on the twenty- fourth of April ; and, five days after, the Queen fignified by pro™ clamation, that the firft parliament of Great Britain fliould meet on the twenty-third of the next Odober. The union of the king- doms being to commence on the firft of May, that day was ap- pointed for a public thankfgiving ; and the Queen went, in ftate^ to St. Paul's, a ceremony of which, to judge by its frequency, fhe feemed to be extremely fond. But though the union of the kingdoms had now commenced in the eye of the law, it could 'March 13. p Journals, paffim. fcarcc 1707. Q^U E E N A N N E. 365 fcarce be confidered as an entire and incorporating union. The ^ ^^^ ''• privy-council of the kingdom, the officers of ftate, and the whole miniftry were ftill maintained in Scotland. The fervants of the crown, to retain their own authority, as well as to preferve their emoluments, perfuaded the Queen that there was a neceffity to preferve a fhow of greatnefs and a form of government at tdln- burgh, to gratify the vanity of the vulgar, and to awe the Ja- cobites ■". This dodrine continued to be inculcated on the go- vernment of England ; and the Scots, inftead of enjoying the benefit of a general government, continued under the tyranny of a fad;ion of their own countrymen. The propofals of peace offered by France, having been re- Diftrefsof jeded, with marks of difdain, by the allies,. Lewis the Fourteenth found himfelf obliged to make all pofTible preparations for con- tinuing, with fome vigour, the war. The uncommon misfor- tunes of the laft campaign, had embarraffed his counfels, and thrown his kingdom into the utmoft diftrefs and confternation. The only circumftance in which he could not blame his fortune, was, that a very favourable feafon had provided his people with plenty of grain^ But he was in great want of money to pay his troops, as well as to provide his armies, with thofe implements of war, vvhich he had loft, on every fide, to the enemy, in the pre- ceding fummer. To obtain a kind of remedy to this evil, he fell upon an expedient, which diftreffed the nation while it ruined the credit of government. In imitation of the exchequer-bills circu- lated by the government of England, he iffued bills upon the mint, to the amount of feventy millions of livres'. But, in re- fufing to take thefe bills in payment of the revenue, he threw them into fuch difcredit, that after all expedients to raife their va- lue had been tried, they remained at the difcount of near fixty per cent. ^ Burnet, vol. iv. ' Political annals, 1 707, 'Ibid. Not- ^^66 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 1707. Her prepa- ratioas. Notwithstanding this domeftlc dlfliefs, Lewis contiived to make confiderablc preparations againfl: the efforts of llie enemy. He extended a line of militia along the coaft of the ocean, and the fliore of the Mediterranean. He formed aaa army in Flanders, under the Duke de Vendome. Another was affembled, by the Marefchal dc Villars, in the neighbourhood of Strafbourg. A body of men was ordered to rendezvous in Navarre, another in Rouflillon ; and reinforcements were fent to the army commanded by the Duke of Berwick in Spain. The year began, with one jnftance of fuccefs on the part of France. Majorca was retaken by the Count de Villars, on the fifth of January. But this tran- fitory gleam of good fortune was foon obfcured, by frefh difafters in Italy. The French and Spani£h troops were forced to evacuate Lombardy, by ^ capitulation figned on the thirteenth of March. Modena' and Milan furrendered themfelves fuccefTively to the allies. The whole kingdom of Naples was reduced, either by the treachery of the inhabitants or the force of the enemy ; and the few places in the dominions of Savoy and in the Milanefe, that were ftill held by garrifons of French or Spaniards, fell, one by one, before the end of the campaign ". Battle of Almanza. The vidory obtained at Almanza by the Duke of Berwick, on th.e twenty-fifth of April, changed the whole face of affairs in Spain. The Englllh and Portugueze being pofTeffed, in the name of Charles the Third, of the kingdoms of Catalonia, Arragon, and Valencia, refolved under their generals, the Earl of Galway and the Marquis Las-Minas, to penetrate into New-Caflile. Having* for that purpofe, palTed the river Xucar, they advanced to Al-?. manza. The Duke of Berwick, who had jufl arrived at the place, hefitated not a moment to .give them battle. The adiion extended from wing to wing. The Englifh infantry penetrated the cen- ter of the enemy. But the Portugueze foot giving way, iiasl ' Peb. 10. '" Hid. de France, torn. iii. Berwick's 1707. dlf E E N A N N E. ^67 Biji*t^ck''s c'aVklry having, at tlie fame tlrtie, thrown the hdrfe of the allies in diforder, the battle was foou decided in favour of the French. Never vi dory was more complete. Six thoufand of the allies either lay dead on tlie field of battle, or were fl;iin in the pur- foit. Five general officers, feven brigadiers, twenty-five colonelsr, above' eight hundred other officers, and nine thoufand foldiers, were either taken pfifoners, or, being furrounded in the moun- fains, were forced to furrender. All the cannon, ftandards, co- lours, equipage, and baggage of the vanquifhed fell into the Mnds of the enemy. Eas-Minas made his efcape, with fome fckvalry to Xativa. The Earl of Gal way, with a party of horfe, taking the route towards Catalonia, ftopt not his flight till he arrived at Tortofa, near the mouth of the Ebro. The Duke of Orleans, taking the command of the French army, the day after tiie battle, purfued the victory with great vigour. He took the city of Valencia, on the eighth" of May ; and the whole kingdom fol- lov/ed the' fate of the capital. The vidtors direded their march to Arragori. Sarragoffii", and in general all Arragon, were again reduced under the dominion of Philip the Fifth ; while his rival either loitered in Catalonia, or made an ineffedlual progrefs to- ward the frontiers of Rouffillon*. On the fide of Germany, the affairs of the confederates wore Campaign: the fame gloomy afpedt. The ufual fluggifhnefs and backward- ^"""^oy- nefs of the Princes, almoft fubjected the empire to the fame mif- fortunes from which it had been relieved by the battle of Blen- heim. The continuance of the rebellion in Hungary, combined with the habitual inadivity of the court of Vienna, had rendered the efforts of the houfe of Auftria extremely languid, on the Up- per Rhine. The Margrave of Bareith, who fuceeeded to the command of the Imperialifts, upon the death of the Prince of Baden, led an army, inconfiderable in point of numbers, and ill- ^ May zj. s ui&, d'Efpagne. grovidied CHAP, VI \ 1 1707. 3G8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. provided with neceflaries for the field. The French army, under the Marefchal de Villars, having pafled the Rhine at Strafboiirg, forced the lines at Stolhoffen, laid the duchy of Wirtemberg under contribution, entered Swabia, and penetrated to the Danube. But when Villars was meditating meafures which might change the whole face of the war, he was forced to weaken his army by great detachments into France itfelf, which was now attacked within its limits, by the allies. Towards the end of the cam- paign, the Eledtor of Hannover took the command of the army of the empire ; and Count Mercy having furprifed the Marquis de Vivant at OiFembourg, the Marefchal de Villars was forced to abandon all his great fchemes and to repafs the Rhine*. piaatonal The Invafion of the French was not the only evil which the behaviour or •' the King of Emperor and empire had now to fear. The King of Sweden, having remained, during the winter, in Saxony, found very plaufible pretences for a quarrel with the court of Vienna. He complained of an infult committed by Count Zobor, chamberlain to his Imperial Majefty, on the Baron Stralenheim, the Swedifh envoy. Though all reafonable fatisfadion was given by the Emperor, the King of Sweden, with an obftinacy fuitable to his charadler, incrcafed his complaints and multiplied his demands. He peremptorily required, that five hundred Ruffians, to whom the court of Vienna had given refuge in the Auftrian dominions, fhould be delivered into his hands. He infifted, that the Emperor fhould immediately decide the affair of the election of Lubec, in favour of the Admlniflrator of Holftein. That the Proteftants of Sllefia ihould be indulged with the free exercife of their re'igion, according to the treaty of Weftphalia.' That his Imperial Majefty fhould relinquifh all pretenfions to the quota, wh ch the King of Sweden had neglected to furnilh, according to the tenure by which he held his dominions in Germany ; and that the whole y Hift. d'AUemagne, torn. vii. Hill, de France, torn. iii. Swedifh 3 QJJ E E N A N N E. 369 Swedifli army, in their return through Silefia and Poland, (hould be maintained at thechartre of the court of Vienna". 1707. The court of Vienna was, by no means, in a condition to re- He throws - wantonly fufe thefe didatorial terms. But the Queen of England and the the balance States were alarmed, left the pride of the Emperor Jofeph fhould from^'^hw overcome his attention to the intereft of the allies. Queen Anne, ''*"^** therefore, had determined early in the feafon, to order the Duke of Marlborough to repair to Saxony, to footh the King of Sweden, and to gain the minifters of that Prince. The Duke, no ftranger himfelf to the power of money over mankind, confulted the Elec- tor of Hannover % about the fums to be given, as annual penfions, to the Counts Piper and Hermelin, who conduced the counfels of Charles the Twelfth. The Elcdor advifed, that two thoufand pounds fterling fhould be fecured for the firft, and one thoufand for the latter ; and that one year's penfion fhould be paid in advance ^ The Duke, arriving at Alt-Ranftadt, where the King of Sweden held his head quarters, was received with a degree of politenefs, confidering the harfli and uncomplying charader of that Prince. Whether Marlborough gained Piper and Hermelin, through the channel of their venality, is uncertain, as well as unimportant. His negociations, by the event, feem to have been crowned with the defired effed; though it is more likely, that the King of Sweden yielded more to his own refentment againft the Czar, than to the influence of corrupted minifters. England and Hol- land having guaranteed the promifes of the Emperor to the demands of Charles, that Prince, after having, for more than a year, kept the allies in fufpence, and adtually held the balance of Europe, threw the whole, at once, from his hands, and, repafTmg the Oder, entered Poland, in purfult of fruitlefs vic- tories % ^ Hill, de Suede, 1707. » Hannover- papers, 1707. * Ibid. ' Hift. da Nord, torn. ii. Vol. II. B b b Thb 370 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. The mofl; memorable event of the year was the fiege of Tou- lon, and the mifcarriage of the allies before that important place. Sifge^of* The,redu£lion of the Spanifli dominions in Italy, and the capitu- Tculon. lation figned at Milan in March, by which the French army abandoned that country, left the Duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene at freedom, to carry the war into the enemy's country. In concert with England and Holland a projcit was formed, either to deflroy or take Toulon and Marfeilles; an enterprife, if crowned with fuccefs, which could not fail to be highly beneficial to the maritime powers, as well as of great importance to the con- federates in general. The Duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene, having, for fome time, amufed the French with marches and countermarches, turned fuddenly toward the fhore of the Medi- terranean, forced the paflage of the river Var, advanced along the coaft of Provence, and, after a long march, through a hot, rugged, and inhofpitable country, arrived before Toulon, on the twenty- fixthof July. Sir Cloudiley Shovel, with a ftrong fquadron of men of war, attended the motions of the allies, fupplied the army with neceflaries, and blocked up the town by fea"*. Defertedby Their want of intelligence, and the neceflary delays in their march, difappointed the views of the allies upon the town. Two hours before Prince Eugene arrived, with the van, the French found means to throw eight thoufand men into the place. The fortifications were repaired with incredible expedition. Troops were advantageoufly ported, on the hills adjacent to the walls. The allies having taken the heights of St. Catherine, were driven from thence, on the the fourteenth of Auguft, with great llaughter. The number of troops in Toulon and its neighbourhood, the bad condition of the confederate army, and the intelligence received of the motions of the French, on every fide, induced the generals to defift: from their attempt. The Duke of Burgundy, with a * Naval Hift. MS. Anecdotes. confider- 4 1707. QJJ E E N A N N E. 371 confiderable force, was on his march to cut off their retreat from Nice. Of twelve thoufand horfe, fcarce four thoufand were fit for fervlce, in that rocky country, the iron for fhoes expe£led from Genoa, having been detained by contrary winds. Had the confederates, therefore, remained ten days longer before Tou- lon, they would, in all likelihood, have been obliged to furrender prifoners of war, fuch was their own weak condition and the adivity ufed by the French to difappoint the defign '. Having bombarded the place, the fleet and army retired, in the night between the twenty-firft and the twenty-fecond of Auguft. In Flanders nothing of importance happened during the cam- inaaivecam- paign. The French, under the Duke de Vendome, prudently p^'S" ^"^ avoided an adion ; and they managed their motions fo well, that Loffes at fea. they furniilied the enemy with no opportunity of attacking them, with advantage. The principal operations at fea, were confined to the fruitlefs fiege of Toulon. The Chevalier de Forbin had the good fortune of taking two Englifli men of war, with twenty merchantmen ; and what was ftlU more fortunate for himfelf, to make his efcape after an engagement with a fuperior fquadron. Some advantages were obtained by the Engllfh on the coaft of North-America. But they fuftained a very great lofs in the Ihip- wreck of Sir Cloudfley Shovel. That admiral, on the twenty- ninth of September, failed from Gibraltar, with a fleet of fifteen fhips of the line and fome frigates. Having arrived in the mouth of the channel, on the night of the twenty-fecond of 06to- ber, by a mlftake in his courfe, he fl:eered diredlly on fome dan- gerous rocks, to the weftward of the iflands of Scilly. The Aflb- ciation, thefhipin which the admiral failed, ftruck and foundered, at once, not one of the crew being faved. The fame melancholy fate attended the Eagle and Romney ; and of the fiiilors on board the Firebrand, another fhip driven on the rocks, only twenty- * MS. Anecdotes. B b b 3 four 372 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, four and the captain were faved^ The fate of Shovel was la- « , ' mented by all. He had raifed himfelf, by his induftry and merit, ''°^' from a common failor, to the head of the fleet. In his public condud he was deemed brave, vigilant, and circumfpc£t ; and in his private capacity, he preferved the character of a modeft and honefl man. Refleflions Th E campaign of the year 1 707, though in fome degree favourable paign. to the houfe of Bourbon, fcarce fufpended their misfortunes. The conqueft of Naples balanced the benefits derived from the victory obtained at Almanza ; and the fiege of Toulon, though unfuccefs- ful on the part of the allies, was extremely detrimental to France. The enemy, in their march and retreat through Provence, ruined a great extent of country. The attempt defeated the projects of France on the fide of Germany, by dividing her forces. Villars having penetrated to the Danube was forced to repafs the Rhine ; and to rellnquifh to an enemy, who could not meet him before in the field, all the advantages of a campaign, that feemed to threa- ten to change the whole face of affairs. A degree of mortifica- tion was added to the misfortunes of the court of Verfailles. The Duke of Savoy, whofe capital was befieged by a French army, in the preceding campaign, was at the head of a powerful invafion in the dominions of France, in the prefent year. But the conduCh of the court of France was now as feeble as her misfortunes were numerous. The Salique law feemed to have been made in vain, in a country deftined to be governed and ruined by women. Madame de Maintenon, though advanced in years, maintained her influence over the fuperannuated mind of the King. Flattery to an aged miftrefs, became a better title than merit, to the com- mand of armies ; and, thus, the folly of his own councils became as fatal to Lewis as the arms of the confederates. ' Naval Hid. CHAP. C^U E E N A N N E. 373 CHAP. VII. D'lfcontents in Scotland. Intrigues of France.-— ^Hooke s ne- gociations. Secret njieivs of Godolphin.—— ^Marlborough'' s intrigues. An oppofttion formed. Firjl parliament of Great Britain. " Hoife of lords refradory. Examination into public affairs. Scotiflj affairs. A zeal for 'war.—— Harley''s intrigues. He is difmiffed from office. An iti- V a/ion threatened. ^—'Pretender fails from Dunkirk ; — but returns. Obfervations on the invafion. Vienvs of the Scotifh Jacobites. Parliament dijfol'ued. Campaign of 1708, Battle of Oudenarde. Siege of Lifle. Siege of Brufjels raifed. Corrupt practices of Marlborough and Cado~ gan. Operations on the Rhine — in Sauoy — and in Spain. Sardinia and Minorca reduced. Affairs of Italy. Death of the Prince ef Derimark. Neiv Parliament. Whigs promoted. La-ws of treafon extended to Scotland.— —An a5l of grace. P arliamcnt 7irges the ^ueen to marry. Propofals of peace. Difrefs of France.— — Extraordinary terms. Preliminaries rejeded by the allies. Marlborough favours the Pretender. Secret intrigues of Godolphi}^— Pretender s 'vieivs. Campaign of 1709.— — Battle of Mal- plaquet. Retreat of the French. Operations on the Rhine — in Dauphine — and Spain. Naval affairs. Battle of Pultoxva. Overtures of peace. Secret intrigues. — — Affair of DoHor Sacheverell. He is impeached. -A ge- neral ferment. — ■ — His trial. Preliminaries offered by France. • Conferences at Gertruydenberg. Camp aig7i of ij 10. — — Operations in Flanders — Germany — and Savqy. Battles of Almenara — SarragoJJ'a — Villa-Viciofa. Naval affairs. Affairs of the North. THOUGH the Union of the two Britifh kingdoms had CHAP. VII. been carried in their refpedtive parliaments by a great j majority, that meafure was far from receiving the general fan(n:ion Dircoments q£ in Scotlaiid. 1707. 574 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, of the people. Men who were apt to urge fpcculative arguments againfl expediency, affirmed, with a degree of juftice, that no reprefentative of a nation had a right to diflblve the conftitution from which they derived their own political exifteuce. The ge- nerality of the Scoti(h nation, either fwayed by their pride or yielding to their prejudices, were loud in their complaints ; and wanted nothing but leaders to appeal from, their parliament to the decifion of the fword. The populace, in particular, were fo eager to take up arms, that the nobility and chiefs were forced to avoid mixing with their vaffals, for fear of being infulted for not leading them directly to the field ^ The minifler of England, in the mean time, either from negligence or defign ^ had made no preparations againfl the fudden incurfion of a people whom he knew to be inflamed to a degree of madnefs. France. Intrigues of Happily for England, and, perhaps, ultimately for the Scots themfelves, the court of France was flill more deflitute of coun- fels than of power. Inftead of liflening to the earnefl folicitations of the malecontents, in fending the Pretender, with a force fuffi- cient to proted his perfon, to Scotland, they difpatched colonel Hooke into that kingdom, with inftrudions more calculated to deprefs the fpirits of the Jacobites, than to roufe them to arms. Hooke arriving foon after the recefs of parliament, made a fecret progrefs through the northern counties, and prefented to the leaders of the Jacobites, letters from the King of France, as well as from the Pretender. The Bukes of Gordon and Athol, the Earls of Errol, Marifhal, Panmure, and Strathmore, the Vif- count Stormont, and, in general, all the nobility and gentry to the North of the Forth, and many whofe eflates lay to the South of that river, received him with gladnefs, and exprefTed their readinefs to take up arms for the exiled family. Their enthu- fiaim in favour of the Pretender and averfion to the Union were *o great, that though it was apparent Hooke's objed was to • Hooke's Negociations. * Stuart-papers, 1707. engage Q^ U E E N A N N E. 37.^ engage them in every thing and the French King in nothing, ^ ^^^ P- they figned a general memorial, referriog implicitly the expeded u_— ^— _; ■ I 7C 7 aid from France to the generofity of Lewis the Fourteenth. In this memorial, after a complimentary preamble to the Hooke's ne- French King, they fignified their earned defire that the Preten- der fhould be immediately fent to Scotland. They affirmed that, iipon his arrival, he fhould be received without oppofition as king; and that the eftablifhed government would inftantly vanifli without making the leaft effort for its own fupport. Out of the great number of men that were to be led by his adherents to his ftandard, they propofcd to feled: twenty-five thoufand foot and five thoufand horfe. Thefe they promifed to clothe, to arm, and to provide with provifions till they fhould march into England. But, upon that event they infinuated, that a monthly fubfidy ought to be paid by France, fhould the war be prolonged for any time, by the refiilance of the Engllfli nation to the perfon whom the memorialifls called their lawful King. They folemnly alTured the mofl: Chriftian King, that the whole kingdom, from an aver- fion to the Union, were unanimous in their wifhes for the reftoration of the exikd family; and that, as they threw them- felves under his Majefly's protedlon, they were confident he would efFedually fupport their caufe. They, however, left the time, the manner, and the "ftrength to be fent, entirely to him- felf. The whole ftrain of the memorial was fpiritlefs though vehement. 1 It exprefled an enthufiafm for an immediate infur- redion, which Lewis, had he been more attentive to his own. intereft, might have greatly improved to his advantage '. Together with this memorial, Hooke was charged with Conduft of letters from the leaders of the malecontents to the Pretender and o''^^^""" °^ the French miniflry. Having arrived in France, in the month of * Hopks's .Ijlegociations, ^^6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. VII. 1707. July, he laid the fubftance of his negoclations before the court of Verfailles. The Earl of Middleton, who managed the affairs of the Pretender, attempted to add the weight of argument to the offers and folicitations of the Scots. He endeavoured to eftablifh the probability of the fuccefa of an infurredion in Scot- land, by the recent and ftill-exifting refiftance of the Hungarians againft the forces and efforts of the court of Vienna. He men- tioned, as an example of the fame kind, the infurredlion in the Cevennes, where a few peafants, without any fuccours from abroad, maintained themfelves fo long againft regular troops, commanded by Marcfchals of France. He averred, that nothing was fo well calculated to terminate a war, as to carry it into the enemy's country. The King of Sweden, he faid, after a feries of vidlories, for five years, in Poland, found new enemies rifing, as it were, from the blood of the flain, till, by making a fudden irruption into Saxony, he put, at once, an end to the war and the reign of King Auguftus. He affirmed, that the enemies of France were convinced of the juftnefs of thefe maxims; as ap- peared from their efforts in Spain, their attempts upon the Mofelle, their proje£l of a defcent on the coaft of the ocean, and the prefent invafion of the Duke of Savoy along the fliore of the Mediterranean ^ Secret views The reprcfentations of Hooke, the arguments of Middleton, Godoiphm. and the repeated and vehement folicitations of the Scots them- felves, were loft on the court of Verfailles. Happily for Great Britain, the meafures of the French miniftry were too much difconcerted with an invafion of their own country, to think of carrying the war into that of the enemy. The fuUen filence which arofe in Scotland, from the anxious expe£lations of the difcontented, was, in the mean time, miftaken by the fuperficial for an acquiefcence in the Union between the kingdoms. 1 he * Middleton to M. 4e Chamillart. MS. affairs 1707. QJJ E E N A N N E. 377 affairs of England, in like manner, wore the face of tranquillity. ^ ^ ^ ^• The attention of the people being turned to the operations of the war, the bickerings between parties were either forgot or ne- gleded. But to thofe, who from judicious obfervations on the paft, could penetrate into the future, a ftorm feemed to be ga- thering behind the tranfient fun-fhine, which, to ufe a metaphor, enlightened at prefent the kingdom. The lord-treafurer thinking, perhaps, that he had gone too far, in oppofition to his principles, in accomplifhing the Union, feemed, from his conduit, little anxious about its continuance. Every meafure calculated to ex- afperate the Scots againfl that treaty was adopted. Though the revenue of Scotland had fallen under the management of the treafury in England, on the firft of May, no care had been taken to iffue commiffions for new officers. The whole trade of the kingdom was fufpended for two SufpeiieJ of months, through this negligence; while, in confequence of an break'the'** a(ft lately paffed, feizures were made of foreign goods imported '^"'°"' from Scotland, under a pretence that they had been fent to that country to avoid the payment of duties from which all imports from thence had been exempted by the treaty of Union '. Thefe meafures, calculated to irritate the Scotifh nation againft the Englifh, were accompanied with an internal relaxation of govern- ment, which raifed a fufpicion, that the minifter, if not the Court, was in the intereft of the exiled family. The correfpondence maintained between France and Scotland was no fecret. But it paffed without animadverfion ; and no notice was taken of public rejoicings celebrated at Edinburgh and other parts of Scotland on the birth-day of the Pretender. The Scots confidering all govern- ment in a manner diffolved, by what they called the illegality of .the Union, were at no pains to conceal their fentimentsj yetfuch « Burnet, vol. iv. Vol. II. Ccc was S78 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^vu ^' ^^^ ^^^ fuplnenefs of the minifter, that he feemcd to court aa infurredion and even an invafion \ 1707. Maribo- During this fufplcious condud of Godolphin, he and the rough's fecret '■ ^ _ intrigues. Duke of Marlborough continued to make their ufual aflurances of fidelity and attachment to the court of St. Germains ^. The Duke, in particular, feemed to infinuate to their agents, that one caufe of rejedling the propofals of peace offered by France, was their not comprehending any ftipulations in favour of the exiled family \ The condudl of Marlborough with regard to that unfortunate race is unaccountable, except on the footing of prin- ciple. Neglefted by the French and without refources themfelves, they were fcarce worthy of being deceived, fliould they even have the weaknefs to place any confidence in promifes fo often and fo ineffedtually made. Had their convidion of Marlborough's fincerity been equal to the opinion which the world had formed of his power, they might, at leaft, fuppofe, that their own mif- fortunes were drawing to an end. The Queen was in the pof- feffion of his Dutchefs. The affairs of the nation were either in the hands of his friends or in his own. The lord-trcafurer, who guided the whole line of internal bufinefs, was infeparably con- neded with the fortune of his family. The Earl of Sunderland, bis fon-in law, as fecretary of ftate, was poflTeffed of the fecrets of the kingdom ; and either the fplendour of his own adions, or the art of his condud, had rendered parliament, in a manner, fub- fervient to his views. Intrigues in NOTWITHSTANDING this appearance of firmnefs in the fabric the cabinet. _ ^ ^ jeared by Marlborough, it was fecretly undermined in a manner that threatened its fall. The Whigs, either fufpeding the prin- ciples of Godolphin, or, what is more probable, from views upon * Stuart-papers. « Stttart papers, 1707. ^ Stuart papers, April 1707. his 1707. QJJ E E N A N N E. iyp his office and influence, were preparing to attack his mcafures in ^ ^ i^'^' parliament '. They were no ftrangers to his political cowardice ; and they were determined to derive fome advantage to themfclves from his weaknefs. But when preparations were making againft him without, he was privately attacked within the cabinet. A new female favourite had, in a great meafure, fupplanted the Duchefs of Marlborough in the affedions of the Queen, or rather in the dominion which flie had eftablifhed over the mind of that timid and eafy Princefs. Mr. Harley, who had been fecretary of ftate for fome years, had gained a confiderable degree of credit with the Queen. To ftrengthen his own intereft he fecured the confidence and afliftance of the new favourite. The great weight, and the almoft irrefiftible power which Marlborough and the con- nexions of his family had eftablifhed, could not have failed to raife, in fome degree, the jealoufy of the Queen, who was adually a mere cypher in their hands. She, therefore, liflened to the fuggeftions of Harley ; who, prefuming on the manifefl change in the mind of the fovereign, began to adt no longer in dependence on the minifter *", While Harley employed his intrigues in the clofet againft Oppofuion Marlborough and Godolphin, a formidable oppofition to their ^°'^'^*"^' meafures was preparing againft the meeting of parliament. As long as the people were amufed with fplendid victories abroad they complained not of the burden of the war at home. But when the progrefs of conqueft was ftopt, by the misfortune at Almanza and the raifing of the fiege of Toulon, a general incli- nation for peace appeared in the nation. The Whigs, offended in the perfon of one of their leaders, encouraged this pacific dif- pofition among the people. The Lord Wharton, forgetting the animofity between the Whigs and the Tories in his own refent- ment againft the minlftry, had paid a vifit to the Earl of Notting- ' Duke of Hamilton to the Pretender. May 1707. "^ Burnet, vol. iv. C c c 3 ham, 1707- 3Bo HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. ham, with propofitions to join the high-church party to humble Marlborough and Godolphin. The latter noblemen, from views of' their own, were highly averfe to pacific meafures. But the cur- rent ran violently againft the war, till Marlborough returned to the kingdom. The chief reafon oppofed by the Duke to a peace, was that France, prefuming on her fuccefs at Alraanza, had re- ceded from the terms which Ihe had offered the preceding year. He pretended, that Lewis the Fourteenth had then promifed to reftore Spain and the Indies. The recovery of the whole Spanifh monarchy out of the hands of the houfe of Bourbon, he knew, had been the chief objedl of the Englifh nation in their warm profecution of the war, from the hopes that they had conceived of the great mercantile advantages refulting from a treaty already concluded with the houfe of Auftria. The Duke infinuated, that to obtain that great objecSt, there was a neceflity for continuing the war ; and this argument, though founded on a ralfreprefenta- tion of the fact, had great weight with the trading part of the nation '. tain. Firft parlia- DuRiNG thefe intrlgues, on both fides, the firfl: parliament of Great Bri- Great Britain met at Weftminfler. The Queen coming to the houfe of peers, on the twenty-third of Odtober, diredled the com- mons to chufe a fpeaker. Many confidered this ceremony imneceffary, as the parliament had not been diflblved, but dropt and afterwards renewed by proclamation, in terms of an a£t for that purpofe. All difputes concerning the legality of the eledion of a fpeaker were prevented by Smith's being again placed in the chair. On the fixth of November, the Queen, as ufual, made a fpeech from the throne. To a brief detail of the ftate of affairs abroad, fhe annexed the cuftomary demand of fupplies, and concluded with exhortations to affection towa.rd her own perfon and govern- ment, and unanimity among themfelves. The commons having ' Stuart-paperj. Hooke's Negociations, 1708. approved QJJ E E N A N N E. 381 CHAP. VI f. 1-07 approved of the Queen's fpeech, voted aa addrefs of thanks, on the tenth of November. The houfe of peers, however, were not equally complaifant. The difcontents of feme difappointed lords, joined feveral votes to the {landing party againft Marl- borough and Godolphin. When an addrefs to the throne was moved, a motion for confidering firfi: the ftate of the nation was carried. A zeal for the redrefs of public evils arofe, in proportion to the height of private refentment. Whigs and Tories were promifcuoully in oppofition. The leaders of the firft had been too much neglected in the diftribution of places. , The latter had neither forgot nor forgiven the means that had been ufed to deprive them of power ", Though many followed the bent of their own paffions in the Great oppo- oppofition with which the feffion was opened in the houfe of houfe of lords, it muft be confefled that there was matter of juft com- °'^ ^' plaint. The Duke of Marlborough, with all his abilities and fuccefs in the field, fuffered ads of meannefs, felfifhnefs, and avarice to ftain the fame, which he had acquired in the world. The Earl of Godolphin, though a man of abilities, carried the indolence, ill-temper, and peevifhnefs of his private charadler into his public condudl. The reputation which both had ac- quired, with a degree of juftice, in their refpedive departments, had a vifible efFed on their own minds. The felf-fufficiency which is feldom feparated from fuccefs, had rendered them negli- gent of men who poffeffed abilities to fupport their meafures in parliament. Inftead of permitting the places and emoluments of government to run in the channel of parliamentary intereft, they gratified their own friends and dependents, and thus by excluding the ambitious from office, they furnifhed them with leifure as w^ell as with refentment to oppofe their own meafures. » MS. of the Times. \. ' Thb 382 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^^j* •*• The lords refolving therafelves into a committee of their ' . ' whole houfe, to confider of the ftate of the nation, a petition was I "C 7» Inquiry into prefentcd, in the name of more than two hundred merchants of me'TtsTn^he London, Complaining of great loflcs at fea, for want of cruizers admiralty. ^^d convoys. In the profecution of the inquiry great abufes were difcovered in the department of the admiralty, which was ma- naged by a council, in the name of the Prince of Denmark, who bore the name but not the power of loi'd admiral. The committee having made a very unfavourable report to the houfe, it was tranfmitted to the Prince of Denmark. An anfwer was returned in his name, which attempted to juftify the feveral charges contained in the report. But the moft remarkable part of the paper was its conclufion, which contained very fevere llridlures on the management of fea affairs in the late reign. In the war carried on by King William it appeared, that four thou- fand merchant-men had been taken by the enemy ; which at a medium fell little fhort of five hundred Ihips every year. The truth is, that during the two reigns which immediately fucceed- ed the Revolution, naval affairs were much negleded. Great fleets were equipped to fecond the operations by land, while the trade of the nation was left a prey to flying fquadrons and pri- vateers "• Affairs in Though the Princc of Denmark was neither blamed in the amined. debates nor mentioned in the report of the committee, the Queen was highly offended. She, however, made a general anfwer to the addrefs of the lords, and promifed to proted: the trade of her fubjeds. The inquiry into the ftate of naval affairs, was fuc- fceeded by an examination into the military operations in Spain ; where the firft fuccefs of the Englifh nation had terminated in lofs and difgrace. The Earl of Peterborough, who had performed fignal fervices in that kingdom, had been recalled in the preceding " Journals of the lords, Auguft. Q^U E E N A N N E. 383 Auguft. The Tories, in oppofition to the Earl ofGalway,magni- C HA P. fied the merit of Peterborough ; while the Whigs made fevere " r—J remarks on his condu£t. A written complaint againfl; Peterbo- rough, had been tranfmitted by King Charles to England. The paper was laid before the two houfes. But Peterborough, in his own juftification, produced fuch a number of witneffes and papers, that the parliament, after fpending two weeks on the fubjed, were fo much tired ofSpanifli affairs and the Earl, that they dropt both, without any animadverfion "» The commons, lefs cenforious and refradlory than the lords. Proceedings granted, without helitation, the demanded fupplies . They affairs. turned, at the fame time, their attention to matters of more im- portance, than inquiries which were fcarce intended, even by thofe who promoted them, to procure redrefs, To abate the re- fentment of the Scots againft the Union, theyaddreffed the Queen % to iffue a noli profcqiii^ to difcharge the feveral informations with regard to goods imported, cuftom-free, into Scotland, before the firft of May. They, however, introduced a bill for repealing the famous a£l of fecurity, which had fo much inflamed the Scots and alarmed the Englilli nation. In confidering that part of her Majefty's fpeech, which required the parliament to make the- Union more complete, they came to feveral important refolves. They voted, that there fhould be but one privy-council in Great Britain. That the militia of Scotland fhould be placed on the fame footing with that of England. That the powers of juftices of the peace fhould be the fame throughout the united kingdom. That, for the better and more expeditious adminiftra- tion of juftice, the lords of judiciary fhould go circuits, twice a year ; and that the writs for elediing members to ferve in parlia- ment for Scotland, -fhould be returned in the fame manner as in. ■ Journals of the lords. « 5,933,657 1. p Journals of the commons, Nov« 4 Englandi. 384 HISTORY OF CHEAT r.RlTAlN. CHAP. England ^ A bill brought in upon thefe refolulions, paffed, with ( , 1 1707. little difficulty, the two hotifes. Anuiiiverfal ' DuRiNG thefe proceedings, the warmeft and moft univerfal zeal for con- . . tinuing the zcal for Carrying on the war, with the utmoft vigour, was exhi- bited by the twohoufes. The lords refolved that no peace could be fafe or honourable, for her Majefty or for the allies, fhould Spain and the Weft Indies remain in the power of the houfe of Bourbon. The commons, having concurred with the lords in an addrefs containing this refolution, the two houfes prefented the fame, in a body, on the twenty-third of December". The Queen, in her anfwer, affured her parliament that flie was fully of opinion, that no peace could either be fafe or honourable, till the entire mo- narchy of Spain fhould be reftored to the houfe of Auftria. She, at the fame time, promifed, in compliance with the other articles of their addrefs, to continue her moft preffing inftances to the Em- peror, to haften further fuccours for Spain, under the command of the Prince of Savoy. The court of Vienna, however, were not equally fanguine with their very generous allies, in their own caufe. The inftances, if made, were ineff'edual. The languor and undecifive meafures of Germany continued. England, with the true fpirit of knight-errantry, fquandered her blood and exhaufted her treafures, in profecuting a war from which, it was not even pre- tended, fhe was to derive either territory or power. Intrigues of Though this vehemence for continuing the war with fuch vi- " ^^' gour, was highly fuitable to the inclinations of the Duke of Marl- borough, and confequently to thofe of the Earl of Godolphin, they ftill found themfelves uncafy in their departments. The intrigues of Harley, in conjundiion with Mrs. Mafliam, the new favourite, had already difturbed their counfels in the cabinet. The efFe(3:s of this fecret influence had even extended themfelves to the ' Dec. II. ' De«. 23. s two i7'7. QJJ E E N A N N E. 385 two Koufes of parliament '. Harley, who, perhaps, was not en- tirely ignorant of the attachment of Marlborough and Godolphin to the exiled family, found means to raife the jealoufy of the Whigs, while, at the fame time, he was faid to have contrived to foment the bad humour of the Tories againft the management of public affairs. An accident, hovwever, furnifhed the enemies of Harley with an opportunity of revenge. The Marcfchal de TA- lard, ftill a prifoner in England, wrote frequently to Chamillart, one of the minifters of Lewis the Fourteenth. But he fent his letters to the fecretary's office, where they were perufed and fealed. Harley, ignorant himfelf of the French language', v/as obliged to truft; the perufal of Tallard's letters to one Greg, a clerk in his office. Greg, being an abandoned and profligate fellow, hoped to derive advantage from this circumftance. He inclofed, in a letter from the Marefchal, one from him- felf, offering his own fervices. He promifed, for a valuable confideration, to betray his country to the court of France; and, as a fpecimen of his abilities to difcharge his engagements, wrote an account of fome important tranfadions. This letter was in- tercepted in Flanders, and fent back to London. Greg was feized, tried, and condemned. Though Harley could not pof- 1708. fibly be fuppofed to know any thing of the matter, his reputation, through the art of his opponents, fuffered confiderably, with the more credulous and fufpicious part of mankind ". This circumflance might have fhaken the credit of Harley Heisdifmif- with the nation. He flill retained his influence with the office?"^ Queen. The principles avowed publickly by the Tories, being moil agreeable to all fovereigns, Anne feems to have entertain- ed an affedion for that party, when even ihe excluded them from office. Marlborough and Godolphin, as far as they ' Burnet, vol. iv. Dutchefs of Marlborough's condufl. ' Stuart-papers. Hannover papers, MSS. paffim. " rublicationsof the tinaes. Vol. IL D d d were 386 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA p, ■^ere fwaycd by principle, were in the Interefl: of the excluded U-. -w-l— > family. But they had employed the Whigs as more a£tive and '''° ' better acquainted with bufmefs " than the Tories. They had always found the latter as unfteady in their condudl, as they were violent in their fchemes. Harley, though bred a diffenter, and having all along avowed whiggifh principles, facrificed his opinions to his love of power; and, by flattering the prejudices of the Queen, in favour of the excluded party, hoped to govern the nation through their fupport and affiftance. But though he was poffeflcd of cou- rage to undertake the adminiftration of affairs on thefe terms, the times were not yet ripe for fo precipitate a change. The Duke of Marlborough and the Earl of Godolphin complained of Harley's intrigues to the Queen. But that Princefs heard them without be- ing moved. They refolved, therefore, to extort from her fears what they could not derive from her prudence. They threatened both to refign their places ; and the difmifTion of Harley from the office of fecretary of ftate ", was preferred by the Queen, as the leaft evil. Sir Simon Harcourt, the attorney-general, Henry St. John, fecretary at war, and Manfel, comptroller of the houfehold, chofe to follow Harley's fortune, and refigned, at the fame time, their places ^ ^aXamen",'" NEITHER Harley nor the alTociates of his fortune, were likely to fit down quietly in their prefent ftate of difgrace. They had been from the beginning of the feffion, at the bottom of the in- quiries made in both houfes, into the condud: of the war ; and now they had added refentment to what formerly was only am- bition. On the third of February, the commons had addrefied the Queen, demanding to be informed, why a greater number of Engliih forces had not been in Spain and Portugal, at the time of the battle of Almanza ? The anfvver of the Queen was delayed to the eighteenth ; and when it Vv'as received, it was deemed un- " MS. anecdotes. * Feb. ii, 1708, >' Feb. 12, 1708. fatis- Q^U E E N A N N E. 387 fatisfadlory. The lords continuing their inquiries into the ftate CHAP. of naval affairs, prefented a long addrefs agaiuft the mifmanage- " , •> ments in that department. Uponthcwhole, the complexion of both houfes feemed greatly altered with regard to the miniftry. The weight of government had fccurcd, hitherto, a majority, upon the moft trying queflions, in the houfe of commons. But the Tories, In conjundion with the difappointed part of the Whigs, contrived to carry motions in the houfe of lords, highly dif- agreeable to thofe who had the chief management of public affairs ^. A SUDDEN alarm from abroad, by terrifying at once the fove- An invafion 11 in iTiir'i -.n threatened reign and the people, llrengthened the hands or the mmiftry, from France, and difappointed the views of the difcontented. The court of France had almoft always been averfe to an invafion of Great Britain, and particularly in the preceding fummer. They, how- ever, fuffered themfelves, in appearance, to be reconciled, in the winter, to that meafure, through the vehement felicitations of the Scots, and the preffing inftances of the excluded family. A fqua- dron of fmall men of war, confiRing of five fliips equipped for action and two fitted for tranfports, together with twenty-one frigates, were prepared at Dunkirk, while feveral battalions were ordered to march to that place, from the garrifons of Calais, St. Omers, Bergues, Aire, and Lifle \ The preparations were carried on with expedition and fecrefy ; and when they came firft to be known, it was uncertain where the ftorm was to fall. Men could fcarce believe, that an invafion of Great Britain was ferioufly meant by the enemy, without a fleet of capital fhips; and, there- fore, the States of the United Provinces began to be extremely apprehenfive of a defcent on the coaft of Zealand \ General Cadogan, who refided at the Hague, in quality of Preparations ambaflador from the court of Great Britain, obtained the firft Ifw"'^ x>ri i^in* •' Journals, » Hooke's negociaiions. ' Public intelligence. D d d 2 Intel- 1708. 388 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, intelligence of the real dcftlnation of the armament preparing at Dunkirk. The information given by Caclogan, to the miniftry, was confirmed by the news of the arrival of the pretended Prince of Wales at Dunkirk, in the end of the month of February. Boyle, who had fucceeded Harley as fecretary of ftate, communicated hi& intelligence, by the command of the Queen, to the houfe of com- mons, on the fourth of March % The two houfes, as upon all occafions of danger, joined in the ufual addrefs of lives and for- tunes ; and the commons, to flrengthen the hands of government, introduced a bill for fufpending the aft o^ habeas corpus. The preparations of the miniftry kept pace with the zeal of parliament. Sir George Byng, with a fquadron of twenty three fhips of war, had already ftretched over to Dunkirk. Ten battalions of Eng- lifh troops were ordered from Flanders. The forces in England were every where in motion ; and the regiments quartered in the fouthof Ireland were ordered to march towards the north, for the convenience of a fliort paflage to Scotland, where the French had formed a defign to land \ -French fail The fleet, Under Byng, having been driven back by flrong from Lun- winds, to the Downs, the French fquadron failed from Dunkirk, on the fixth of March. To deceive the Britifli admiral, fhould he return to his ftation, they had placed an equal number of vefTels in the road. The fquadron was commanded by M. de Fourbin. The Pretender, under the name of Chevalier de St. George, was on board, with five thoufand one hundred foldiers, with tert thou- fand mufkets, one thoufand piftols, and as many carabines. The weather becoming calm, the fquadron was forced to come to aa anchor before Newport. During two days of bad weather, which, detained them in that place, three frigates having made fignals of diftrefs, bore away for Dunkirk, having eight hundred land forces on board. Weakened by this defertion, the admiral called a ' Journals, March 4.. ' Hift. of Europe, 1708, council" Q^U E E N A N N E. 3^9 i7o8» council of war, to confider whether they fhould continue their ^ ^^r"^ ^• voyage to Scotland. The Chevalier himfelf decided in the affir- mative. They accordingly failed, in the night of the eighth of March, with a hrifk and favourable gale. On the twelfth, they difcovered the coaft of Scotland. But either through the ignorance of their pilots, or the defign of M. de Fourbin, who is faid to have had poliiive orders neither to land the troops, nor to hazard the lofs of the fquadron% they found theinfelves to the north of the firth of Edinburgh, where they had propofed to land. On the fame day that the French fleet failed from Dunkirk, They return^ Sir George Byaig, whofe fquadron, by the incredible diligence of the admiralty, had been now augmented to forty capital fliips, befides frigates, weighed anchor in the Downs, and ftretched over towards Dunkirk. Being informed of the failing of the enemy, by a boat from Oflend, he crowded after them with all his fails, and came in fight of the French with his van, on the morning of the thirteenth of March. M. de Fourbin took advantage of the wind and put to fea. In the afternoon of the fame day, fome of the enemy's fhips came up with the Augufte, a French man of war, and a kind of running fight began. The Chevalier de St. George, during this adion, entreated Four- bin, with the utmoft earneftnefs to put him on ihore; being re- folved, he faid, to remain in Scotland, fhould none follow him but his own domcftics^ Fourbin having long argued in vain againil: the propriety of that mcafure, pofitively refufed, at laft, to agree to his requeft. The French, in the mean time, were difperfed, in their confufcd flight. The Salifbury, a vefl^el fome time before taken from the Englilh, was the only fliip that fell into the hands of Byng. The reft having fuffered much hard/hip at fea, and loft many of their men by ficknefs, returned, Ihip by fhip, to Dunkirk ■'. ' Lockhart's Mem. ' M. d'Andrezel's account to the French mlniflry, April 7, K. S. 1 708. s Hooke's negociations. 2 Though Stats of Scotland, MS. ' Burnet, vol. iv, Stuart-papftrs, the Q^U E E N A N N E. 391 i;o8. the fame time In the caftle of Edinburgh. That fortrefs was not ^ ^l^^^ ^• in a ftate to defeat the flightcft effort of an enemy *". A Dutch fleet had jufl: run a ground, on the coaft of the county of Angusj with ammunition, cannon, mufkets, and money. The a.Ct of fecurity had placed arms in the hands of the lower fort of people, of which they had not yet been deprived, by the repeal of that law. The Highlanders, though from the fituation of their country, and the ftate of fociety eftabliflied among the clans, they felt not the fuppofed grievances of the Union, were, from a na- tional pride, attached to a race of Princes, whom they deemed their countrymen. The officers of government in Scotland, were fo fenfible of the untenable condition of that country, that they had already made preparations for taking refuge in the town of Berwick. The immediate fubmiffion of the whole kingdom, and a general acknowledgment of his authority would, therefore, have been the infallible confequence of the Pretender's landing with the appearance of a regular force'. The difcontented Scots, had formed a refolution of invading Viewsofthe England, as foon as their own ceuntry fliould fubmit itfelf to the bh°es. *^°* authority of the perfon, whom they called their lawful King. They propofed, with feventeen thoufand foot and three thoufand horle of their own nation, in conjundion with their French auxi- liaries,, to diftrefs London, by the immediate feizure of New- caftle, and by flopping the coal-trade. The regular force to the fouth of the Tweed was incapable of meeting the Scots in the field. In Flanders, there were only eighteen Britifh regiments, and one third of thefe were their countrymen. The latter, inftead of oppofing their projeds, would, they hoped, join and forward their views. They knew, that, without the confent of parliament, the Queen could not call" any foreign troops to her aid. Befides, they derived expedatipns from negociation as- well as from force. The •< Hooke's Negociations. ' Ibid, "■ Ibid, Stuart-papers, pa.Tim. diflblution 1708, 392 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^it ^ dlfTolution of the Union, the repeal of the ad of fettlement, the prefent pofTefTion of Scotland, the eventual fucceffion of England to her brother, they hoped to derive all from the fears, and, perhaps, from the affedlion of the Queen. Should matters come to extre- mity, they knew, that Marlborough would, in all likelihood, have the chief command. They hoped, that fuch a favourable op- portunity would induce that nobleman to perform his promifes and oaths to the excluded family \ They built much on the attachment of the Tories, the confufion of the Whigs, the total breach in public credit, the terrors of the affluent, the expedtations of the needy, and the love of novelty in all. ©bferva- Wild as thefe expedations of the Scotifli Jacobites may now "°"°' appear, they were deemed by no mean's extravagant in the eyes of men acquainted with the ftate of the kingdom and the difpofition of the times. The project feemed fo practicable to the Duke of Marlborough, that he chided the court of St. Germains, for not having previoufly informed him of their defign". The Queen and her minifler, the Earl of Godolphin, were guided by paffions, that favoured the moll fanguine hopes of the adherents of the exclud- ed line. They were both fubjed to political terror, both attached to the eventual fucceffion of the Pretender; and there is fcarce any reafon to doubt, but they would both agree, with great readi- nefs, to any propofals to fecure the reverfion of the crown of Eng- land to the ancient line \ Happily for the kingdom, the retreat of the French put an end to the fears of the people, and prevented, perhaps, the horrors of a civil war. Some mifchief, however, was effedled in Britain, by this impotent attempt on the part of France. A violent run upon the bank, threatened the ruin of pub- lic credit ; and though the treafury and fome noblemen of wealth tendered their affiftance, the evil only ceafed with the terrors of the nation. " Stuart-papers, paffim. ? Ibid. May, 170S. p Reflections. Stuart-papers, MS. The (IJJ E E N A N N E. 393 The two houfcs continued fitting, during the alarm of the in- ^ ^^..^ ^• vafion. But nothing important was tranfaded after the money- <>^ . — -j bills had paffed, for the fervice of the approaching campaign. On Parliament the thirteenth of April, the parliament was prorogued, and, two ''''^°'^^'^- days after, diflblved by proclamation. The meflengers of govern- ment were, in the mean time, employed in taking into cuftody the lords and gentlemen, in Scotland, who were mofl fufpefted of having invited the French to invade the kingdom. Though all who were feized, were deeply concerned in the confpiracy againfl government, proofs could be carried home to none. The mofl: of the prifoners were, therefore, difmiffed upon bail. A prudent lenity was even obferved toward perfons already legally convicted of treafon. In the Salifbury, the only fhip which had fallen into the hands of the Britifli fleet, the Lord Griffin, who had followed the late King James to France, was taken, and received fentence of death on a former outlawry. His great age induced the Queen to reprieve him, from time to time, till a natural death, by preventing the hand of public juftice, put an end to his misfor- tunes and his fears. During thefe tranfadions in England, preparations were Campaign ia made abroad, for opening, with vigour, the campaign. The Duke of Marlborough, having left London on the twenty-ninth of March, arrived the next evening at the Hague, where he was met by Prince Eugene of Savoy. Thefe two generals, having fettled with the States the operations of the fummer, repaired, by different roads, to Hannover, to reconcile the Eledor to the regu- lations which they had fettled, without his communication, with regard to the army which his Highnefs commanded, in the clofe of the preceding year, on the Upper-Rhine. The Duke of Marl- borough, having placed himfelf at the head of the confederates, ia the neighbourhood of Ghent, in the end of May, the French took the field on that fide, with an army fuperior to the allies, in point Vol. U. E e e of 1708. 394 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^^\n^* °f'^""^bcr. They were commanded, in the name of the Duke of Burgundy, by the Duke de Vendome. Though they were pofleffed of ftrength fufficient to cope with the enemy in the field, they chofe rather to rely on flratagem and furprife, than on the more uncertain fucccfs of open force. The Elector of Bavaria, during his long government in Flanders, had gained an influence among the Flemings, which he retained, after the greateft part of the country had been loft to the allies, in the fatal battle of Ra- millies. He either obtained, by his intrigues, or purchafed with the money of France, an abfolute promife from the magiftrates of the cities of Ghent, Antwerp, and Bruges, to open their gates to the troops of the houfe of Bourbon. The extortions of the allies, of which neither Marlborough nor his friend Cado- gan had been unconcerned fpedators % contributed to this projeded revolt, as much as the intrigues of the Eledor of Bavaria. Battle of" "p^g i^jQ armies having remained in their refpedive camps, Oudenarde. . o * «. the whole month of June, a body of French troops were received^ into the city of Ghent, under the appearance of a furprife, on the fifth of July. Bruges furrendered itfelf, the next day, in like manner, to. another detachment of the fame army. The Duke of Marlborough^ accufed, perhaps very unjuftly, of being privy to the treachery, froni interefted views, was incapable of prevent- ing its effeds. Though much inferior in force to the enemy, he offered them battle ; which they avoided, by paffing the Dender in the night ^ The op'portunity, which the French generals now denied to the enemy, was foon offered by their own difputes. Returning from the Dender, they direded their march to the Scheld. But the, Duke of Marlborough, who had been joined by Prince Eugene,^ had already "pafled. that rivfif, and lay be- tween the French and their lines.' Tlie enemy dould no longer >* Mem. of the Generality of Ghent, MS. ' July 6. decline Q^U E E N A N N E. 395 decline a battle. The Scheld, with fevcral inclofures, covered ^ ^t,^ P. their left. A morafs ran along their front; and, on a rifing ground on their right, they placed their cavalry, interlined with bodies of foot '. 1708. The infantry of the allies advancing acrofs the mdrafs, were French par- • . , r • • t ' 1 T« tially defeat received with great refolution and fpirit by the enemy. But the ed. Britifli cavalry broke thofe of the French at the firft (hock ; while the foot intermixed with the fquadrons were cut to pieces on the plain. The infantry behind the morafs flood their ground for fome time, againft all the efforts of the allies. To avoid, however, being Hanked by the Britifh horfe, who were now vidtorious, they fhelcercd themfelves in the inclofures on the banks of the Scheld.; The battle, however, was- by no means decifive But the fears and bad condud of the French, yielded to the allies all the confequences of a compleat vidlory. No baggage, no cannon were loft. It was the repulfe of a party, rather than a general rout. The allies expe<9;ed nothing but the renewal of battle upon better terms the next morning. But the French retreated through five different routes in the night. The general confufion and panic which prevailed in this difgraceful and diforderly re- treat, by breaking the fpirits of the foldiers, difconcerted all the nieafures of the French generals for the reft of the campaign'. Discomfited in their own minds, the French, inftead of Theirretreat, retrieving the honour which they had loft, plunged themfelves of Lifle. ° deeper in difgrace and misfortune. They retired from Ghent under Tournay and under Ypres. They permitted Prince Eugene, whofe reinforcement of Germans from the Mofelle was now arrived, to .form the fiege of Lifle. That city, fortified with all the art of Vauban, was confidered as the key to France itfelf, on that fide. The Marefchal de BoufHers defended in perfon, ' Mem. du Marq. de Feuquiere. ' French writers, paffim. E c e 2 with 39^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, xvhh a numerous garrifon, the capital of his own government. c— ^-^ The particulars of fieges are not interefting at any confide- *^°^' rable diftance of time. The Duke of Vendome attempted, in vain, to relieve the place, by endeavouring to cut off the convoys of the enemy from beyond the Schcld and from Oftend. In attacking a party of Englifh at Winnendal, a French detach- ment was defeated with the lofs of their cannon and all their implements of war. In attempting to attack the enemy before Lifle, though joined by the Duke of Berwick with a great rein- forcement, Vendome was twice difappointed, after a fruitlefs can- nonade. The city, in the mean time, was gallantly defended by the Marefchal de Boufflers. After a fiege of three months, it was, however, forced to furrender '. Boufflers retired, with the re- mains of the garrifon, into the citadel, which he held till the eighth of December. Obferva- No fortified place was ever more vigoroufly attacked, none ^'°"^' more gallantly defended than the important town of Lifle. The befiegers carried no part of the works without a regular and obftii- nate battle ; and they were fcarce mafters of one place, when they were driven from another, and put in danger of being forced to yield the advantages, which they had gained with fo much valour and blood. But the difficulties of the allies were not ended with the conqueft of Lifle. They had lofl; between eighteen and twenty thoufand men before the place, which had rendered their army much inferior to the French. They were, at the fame time, under the neceflTity of repafllng the Scheld, or to diftribute the troops in winter-quarters in the fmall fpace of country compre- hended between Lifle, Menin, and Courtray. To pafs a river whofe banks were occupied by an enemy fuperior in Humber was dangerous as well as difficult. To remain in the neighbourhood of Lifle for the winter, would have been to abandon the refl of « oa. 23. 4 Flanders, CLtr E E N A N IM E. 397 Flanders, the province of Brabant, Guelderland, and a part of ^ ^^^ ^* the territories of the States, to the mercy of the French. The <- •*. Duke of Marlborough, who always treated fortune as if fhe had ' made an agreement to favour all his defigns, attempted, at once, the palfage of the Scheld ; and he fucceeded without dravsr- ing a fword °. The raifing of the fiege of Bruflels was the firft confequence Siege of of Marlborough's paffrng the Scheld- The Eleftor of Bavaria raifed. had fat down before that place the day before the allies had f^ ^^"ej ^^ecg. eroffed the river. Had his Highnefs inverted Bruflels when the vered. enemy were fully employed at Lifle, the city muft have fallen into his hands. But upon the approach of the allies he decamped with the utmoft precipitation, leaving behind him all his cannon, ammunition, and wounded. The cities which the French had re- covered through the treachery of the magiftrates, were again loft to the enemy. The retaking of Bruges and Plaflendal followed immediately the pafl'age of the Scheld. Ghent furrendered after a feeble rcfiftance, about the middle of December. At the dole of a campaign, where every motion of the French was marked with fome lofs or fome error, the Duke of Vendome went to Ver- failles. He durft not pafs through Paris, dreading the confe- quences of the public hatred which his condu(St had raifed. Irritated by his cold reception at court, he retired to one of his eftates ; being the fifth Marefchal of France whom Marlborough's fuccefs had driven from the fervice. The glory acquired by the Duke of Marlborough, in recovering corrupt the towns which their relpedlive magiftrates had betrayed to France, fj^'^b " °^h was much tarniftied by his own avarice ; a vice to which, of all others, he was moft fubjedl. When, in confequence of the battle of Pvamillies, the greateft part of Flanders was reduced by " Nov. 16, jj^ 39S HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^it ^* *^^ allies, the chief management of the conquered country fell V— — V, 1 into the hands of general Cadogan, who fucceeded Mr. Stepney as ambaflador from England to the States of Holland ". Cado- gan, a man of a profligate and avaricious charadter, had recom- mended himfelf to the protedtion and friendfhip of the Duke of Marlborough, by giving him thelargeft proportion of the contribu- tions, v^hich he had privately raifed from the magiftrates of Ghent, under the promife of his own and the Duke's protection. Marl- borough, who had received, at that period, fix thoufand piftoles in fpecie, was fo well pleafed with the magiftracy, that, at their requeft, he reverfed, by his own authority, the regulation for the government which had been figned by himfelf and the depu- ties of the States of Holland, on the fixth of Odober, 1706. Thefe regulations, it feems, interfered with the perquifites of thofe who had been fo liberal to himfelf. Their gratitude and his proteftion continued. The magiftrates pillaged the people, and the Duke and Cadogan received their proportion of the fpoil \ and general The people, thus opprefTed by their magiftrates, formed the * °2an« ^^orft opinion of the patrons of perfons fo unjuft and profligate. They believed, though probably without foundation, that Marl- borough and Cadogan were privy to the meafure of betraying Ghent and Bruges to the French from interefted views of their own '. The condudt of thefe generals, after retaking the two cities, was calculated to juftify fufpicions of the worfl: kind. Though they knew perfectly the treafon, and were fully in- formed concerning the traitors ; they not only procured for them a general pardon, but continued them, notwithftanding the murmurs of an opprcfled people, in their former offices and authority ^. A favour fo great was not without an immediate and fuitable reward. J3' '' MS Memorial to Queen Anne. Original papers. ' Ibid. y Ibid. ^ Ibid. Two Q^ U E E N A N N E. 399 Two hundred thoufand e'leklers are faid to have fallen to the ^ ^,f^ ^' fhare of Marlborough \ Cadogan, the intermediate agent in this » ^-— / lucrative tranfadlion, received ten thoufand piftoles. A raagiflracy fo generous deferved to be fupported. They were, therefore, permitted to remain in their departments during the war, though they were known to be in correfpondence as well as friendflnip with France; and though, according to the cuftoms ^and pri- vileges of the country, they ought to have been changed every year \- In Germany nothing of importance happened during the cam- Campaign on- paign. The Eledors of Bavaria and Hannover, who were Rhine!,'^and oppofed to one another, on the Upper-Rhine, were rendered >" Savoy.- incapable of performing any thing, either worthy of themfelves, or of confequence to their refpedtive allies. The campaign was fpent in fortifying their lines, as neither was in any condition to adl with effedl in the field. The French army was weakened by detachments fent to Flanders. The troops of the empire were deftitute of every thing neceffary for war ". On the fide of Italy, where much .was expe<9:ed, nothing decifive was performed. The Duke of Savoy had made great preparations in the winter; but it Was late in the fummer before he took the field. Befides his native troops, he had twenty-two thoufand men in his army, in the pay of Great Britain and the States. That Prince had formed great and extenfive projects. He defigned to pafs through the territories, of the. Swifs, to join the troops of • the empire in Alface, ahcl to penetrate into France on that fide. He was op- pofed by the Marefchal de Villars. But, notwithftanding the vigilance of that officer, the Duke found means, by making him- felf mafter of Exilles, La Peroufe, and Feneftrelles, to open a paffage into France, while he fecured his own dominions againll future invafions from that kingdom ■". ' MS. Memorial to Qaeen Anne. Original Papers. * Ibid. 'Hannover-papers, 1709, '' Hift. d'Angleterre, torn. if. In 400 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. In Spain, which had been the principal objed of the war, the \_ .-' ' allies were lead fuccefsful. The houfe of Bourbon had three Affairs°of armies in the field ; two on the fide of Catalonia, under the Spai«. Duke of Orleans, and the Duke de Noailles ; and the third in Eftramadura, commanded by the Marquis de Bay. Though Charles the Third had not a force fufficient to face the Duke of Orleans in the field, the latter was prevented from making any decifive progrcfs by the unprovided condition of his army. He, however, took Tortofa, on the eleventh of July. Denia and Alicant, in the kingdom of Valencia, fell into the hands of the French before the end of the campaign. The Duke de Noailles, oppofed by the Prince of Darmftadt, performed nothing of im- portance, except providing his troops with provifions during the campaign at the expence of the Catalonians. The fummer pafled in a ftate of abfolute inadlvity on the fide of Portugal. The French, though fuperior in numbers, attempted nothing. But though the generals on neither fide gained any credit by their condudt in the field, they deferved pralfe for their wifdom and humanity. In imitation of the ancient Romans, they entered into a convention, that the labourers on their refpedive frontiers fhould not be dif- turbed, by either fide, in cultivating the foil " or in feeding their cattle ; and, that the war, for the future, fhould be confidered as fubfifting only between regular armies, and not between the peafantry of the two kingdoms ^ - Sardinia and The Operations of the fleet were attended with confiderable doced. fuccefs in the prefent year. Admiral Leake having carried to Barcelona the Princefs of Wolfembuttle, whom Charles the Third had efpoufed, dlredted his courfe from thence to Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia. The whole ifland fell into his hands with- out drawing a fword. When the Englifh fleet appeared, the monks, gained by the cardinal Grimani, ran in bodies to the « Hjft. de Portugal, 1708, ^ Hill.. d'Efpagne, torn. ii. ftreets QJJ E E N A N N E. 4or ftreets and public places, holding the crucifix in their hands, ^ ^^ A p« They aflured the inhabitants, who flocked around them, that i — ^ — -^ God had made ufe of Heretics to give- them a better mafter. They ' made fuch an impreflion on the populace, that the Viceroy, the Marquis of Jamaica, was forced to accept fuch terms as Leake condefcended to grant. The fleet commanded by the fame admi- ral added to this important conqueft the redudtion of Minorca. The ifland itfelf was lefs confiderable in itfeif than Sardinia ; but more valuable to the Britifli nation, on account of the excellent harbour of Port-Mahon. The French and Spaniards loft their courage with their good fortune. The forts which defended Port-Mahon, though provided with every neceffary for fuftain- ing a fiege, made fcarce any fhew of defence. After an irregular fiege of a few days, fom.e Britifh foldiers, without any orders, marched into their lines. The enemy, ftruck with confternation at their fudden approach, furrendered the place upon terms °. While the m.aritime powers were employed in the redudion Affairs of of the Italian iflands under the government of the houfe of Auftria, the Emperor alarmed the princes and republics of Italy by the renewal of antiquated claims on their dominions. He publiflied a manifefto wherein he declared, that he was refolved to purfue the rights of the Imperial crown, againft fuch States as could not exhibit authentic proofs, that their titles to their terri- tories were derived from the unanimous confent of the empire. In confequence of his declaration, he ordered the Duke of Par- ma, to pay homage for his dominions within fifteen days, under the pain of confifcation. Thefe obfolete and prefcribed claims fpread a general confternation. The Republics of Venice and Genoa, the Dukes of Modena, Savoy, and Tufcany, were all interefted in the Emperor's demands. The houfe of Bourbon entertained hopes of forming a confederacy in Italy againft a prince « Hift. of Europe, 1 70!. Vol. II. F f f fo 402 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, {q uniuft and unrcafonable. But their cxnedations were quaflicd VII. . . V , ' by the redudion of the iflands in the Mediterranean, a circum- ' ■ fiance that enabled the maritime powers to awe the Italian States with their fleets. But the animadverfion with which Jofeph thrca.- tened other powers, he adlually put in execution againfl the Pope. That Pontifl', who had hitherto adhered to the intcrefls of Philip the Fifth, was forced to promife to acknowledge Charles the Third as lawful King of Spain, to prevent Rome itfelf from being a fecond time facked by the IraperialifU "» Death of the DuRTNc thefc tranfadions abroad, the nation, in their atten- Denmark. tion to the cvents of War, feemed to lofe their former animofities- and fears. A general tranquillity prevailed, except where it was difturbed by contefted eledions for the new parliament. But the joy which the Qu^cn derived from the great fuccefs of her armsy was damped by the death of her hufband the Prince of Denmark. Having languiflied for fome months, he expired on the twenty- eighth of Odober. The very defeds of his charader had recommended this Prince to the afFedion of the people. He: had fcarce any talent for bufinefs, and he was deftitute of am- bition. Having no paffion for influence or power, he never- entered into the intrigues of parties. The Whigs refpeded him^^ as he never interfered with their own xiews. He loved the Tories, as they had been the chief inftruments in procuring for- him an eventual penfion, in cafe he had furvived the Queen. Mild and humane in his difpofition, he pofTeffed the moll of thofc virtues, which are as common as they are agreeable in private life. But he was fo unfit for a public ftation, that his elevationj proved to him a misfortune, as it expofed his weaknefs to the? world. He was, upon the whole, what the hufband of a Queea^ of England ought to have been : a man of too feeble parts to be troublefome, and too indolent to interfere in meafures which he- * Hift. of Europe, 1708. Hift, d'Angleterre, torn. ii.. Burnet, vol. iy. could Q^U E EN ANNE. 403 could not guide. The Queen, who had exhibited every mark ^ IJ^^^ ''• of conjugal affeiftion during his illnefs, fcemcd inconfolable at i— ~-~~— ^ his death. She removed immediately from Kenfington v.'here he expired, to the palace of St. James's, and fhut herfelf up for feveral months, with all the fymptoms of an unfeigned grief '. ' The frreat fucccfs of the campaio;n, confirmed the influence ^'^"^ parlla- ; . mait. which Marlborough and Godolphin had acquired, by the expul- fion of Harley, from the cabinet. They found means, at the fame time, to reconcile the Whigs to their meafures, by dividing with their leaders the power and emoluments of government. The weight of the crown being thrown into the fcale of that party, they carried moft of the conteftcd eledtions againft the Tories. This fecured a majority not to be controuled, in the houfe of commons. The new parliament having met on the fixteenth of November, the feffioa was opened by commifHon. The fuperiority which the court, now confifting entirely of Whigs, had acquired, precluded oppofition, as it could not be attended with any fuccefs. Sir Richard Onflow, recommended by the adherents of the crown, was unanimoufly chofen fpeaker. As the prevailing party were bent on continuing the war, fupplies were granted, not only with liberality, but even without referve. Seven millions were voted for the fervice of the campaign. In concert with the States, who had agreed to an augmentation of their own troops, ten thoufand men were added to the eftablifliment of the preceding year*". All was harmony in the houfe of commons, if the fullen filcnce, which frequently proceeds from political defpair, can be conflrued into unanimity. ' Hid. d' Angle' etre, torn ii. Hift. of Europe, 1708, -Burne.t, vol. iv. {* Journals, paflim. F f f 2 One 404 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 170H. Whios pro- moted. One caufe of the adherence of the Whigs to the meafures of governiperit, in every queftion, became apparent, foon after the meeting of parliament. The Earl of Pembroke, who had fiiffi- ciently concealed his attachment to the late King James ', to be deemed a firm friend to the Revolution, was raifed to the office of lord-admiral, now vacant, by the death of the Prince of Denmark. Though his lordfliip had executed the duties of that ftation, with confiderable applaufe, in the end of the laft reign, he owed his ele- vation, at prefent, more to the places which he had to refign, than to his own merit. Being, at once, lord-prefident of the council and lord-lieutenant of Ireland, his refignation furniflicd the minifter with two places of importance to fecure the Whigs, by gratifying their leaders. The Lord Somers, who had been out of employ- ment ever fince he had been deprived of the great-feal by King William, was raifed to the head of the council. The Earl of Wharton, a man of profligate abilities, a Whig from faction more than from any principle, was declared in council lord-lieutenant of Ireland ; and an addition was made to the lift of privy-coun- fellors, to gratify others of the fome party". Debates on Scotiih elec- tions. These judicious promotions contributed to continue that una- nimity in parliament, which rendered the tranfadlions of the feffion, in a great meafure, unimportant. Some debates, concern- ing Scotifli eledllons, for both houfes, raifed the attentioij of many, from the ftillnefs which prevailed in public affairs. Two fons of peers, the Lord Haddo and the Lord Johnfton, having been returned to ferve for two counties in Scotland,, a petition againft their right of being elecSled, was prefented to the houfe of com- mons. Proofs were produced, that the eldeft fons of the nobility had been uniformly rejededby the Scotifli parliament, and a vote was paffed for vacating the feats. of the two lords ". Great debates arofe ' Stuart-papers, paflim» » Dec, 6, 1708. " Gazettes, Nov. and Dec. 170S. in 1 ,0 j. to Scotland, QJJ E E N A N N E. ^ ^05 in thehoufeof peers, upon a petition agalnfl an undue return of ^ 'J, -^ ''• the reprefentative of the Scotifli peerage, in theBritifh parliament. The Duke of Queenfberry, who, for his fervices in accomplifhing the Union, had been created a peer of Great Britain, under the title of Duke of Dover, having voted in the eledion of Scotifh peers, vi^is accufed of having affumed the right of two votes, in his own perfon, a circumflance inconfiftent with the privilege of peers, who are all deemed equals. Upon a divifion of the houfe, the matter was determined againft the Duke of Quecnfberry* though he was fupported by the whole weight of government ". Another matter of importance with regard to Scotland, ralfed , ^7^P' ^ ° I.avvsoftrea- the attention and employed the debates of the two houfes of par- fon ext ndc-d- liament. Upon the attempt of an invafion from France, in the preceding year, feveral peers and gentlemen of rank were feized, by the procurement of the Scotifh lords in the miniftry, and were brought prifoners to London. Though all were fuf- fpe£ted of maintaining a correfpondence with the invaders, and many were actually guilty, proofs could be carried home to noi^^^e. They were, therefore, difmifled. But the diigrace and expence which they incurred upon bare prefumptions, had induced mankind in general to conclude, that they had been treated with unjuft feverity. This circumftance, together with a difpute between the court of jufticiary and the Qiieen's advocate in Scot- land, concerning the trial of fome Jacobites in that kingdom, induced the lords to introduce a bill for extending the laws of treafon already eftabliflied in England, to the whole kingdom of Great Britain. The trials in matters of treafon being lefs fevere in Scotland than in England, the whole reprefentative of the for- mer oppofed the bill in both houfes. It ^as, however, pafled into a law. The commons, to gratify the Scots, in fome degree, made an amendment, which diredled, that all pcrfons indided • Burnetj vol. iv. i for 1709. 10$ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. ^^yj. ijjgii treafon or mifprlfion of treafon, fliould have, not only -* a copy of their indi£lmcnt, but a lift of all the witnefTes to be produced, and of the jurors impanelled, with their profefhons and places of abode, delivered to them ten days before the trial, and in the prefence of tvs'O witnefles. This falutary claufe was defeated, for the time, by a provifoof the lords, that it fhould not take place till the death of the Pretender ^ AnaAof TiiE debates concerning the laws of treafon, contributed to convince the Earl of Godolphin of the convenience of an ample act of grace. He knew that he himfelf, from his correfpondence with the court of St. Germains, was obnoxious, upon a difcovery, to the lav/. He was not ignorant that he had many enemies v/ho fufpedted him of treafonable pradices, and fome, who were actually poflefTed of proofs fufficient to ruin his reputation, If not to endanger his head. The Marquis of Annandale, it is faid, either by accident or art, had pofleffed himfelf of an original ktter of the lord-treafurer to the court of St. Germains. In the beginning cf the prefent fefhon, the Marquis had petitioned againft the undue eledion of one of the peers for Scotland ; and, by infinuating that he was privy to Godolphin's fecret attachment to the excluded family, he obtained the weight of government and gained a feat in the houfe of peers. The Earl of Wharton, perceiv- ing the unexpeded fuccefs of Annandale, treated with that noble- man for the ufe of his valuable manufcript. He obtained the letter and was inftantly declared lord-lieutenant of Ireland. The mif- chievous Wharton was at no pains to keep the fecret. The whole junto derived benefit from tb.£ difcovery. Pembroke, Somers, Dor- fct, and their retainer-s, demanded offices and were gratified. But fllU Godolphin was in danger, till the a€t of grace pafled, in the beginning of the prefent year. The bill feemed calculated chiefly ^r the lord-treafurer himfelf. Few things were pardoned except r Stat. 7 Ann. c. 21. all Q^U E E N A N N E. 407 allcorrerpondcnce with the court of St. Germrans. Wharton, who C ii A P; hoped to derive ftlll greater advantages from the letter, which he 1709. is faid to have either purchafed or obtained from the Marquis of Annandale, was completely outwitted by the Earl of Godolphln. The latter, by affuring him that the material bufrnefs of the feflion was over, had induced his lordfhip to repair to his govern- ment of Ireland. But the firfl intelligence he received at Dublin was, that the minifter had efcaped from his hands, under the iandlion of an adt of grace.. The Duke of Marlborough, to whom the adl of grace was as Proceedings, convenient as to the Earl of Godolphin, had arrived in London in meat! '^' the end of February ''. That nobleman, notwithftanding the ad- dition made to his reputation by a very fuccefsful campaign, had many enemies in parliament, who were ready to feize any oppor- tunity, either prefented by fortune or offered by his own condu(St, to attack his character and to ruin his power. The Tories, in par- ticular, had joined a perfonal quarrel againft Marlborough, to the ufual violence of men excluded from the poffeffion of influence and' office. They were furniflied by the Duke himfelf with a cir- cumftance fuitable to their defircs. Cardonnel, Marlborough's fecretary, in writing to the Queen a detail of the battle of Win- nendal, attributed the whole honour of the affair to General Cadogan,. the favourite of his mafter, who had not the leafl fhare in the adlion. General Webb, to whole adlivity and courage tha vidory was principally afcribed, was not even named in the letter. Cardonnel's account was made public. Webb was enraged. Ha quitted the army, and returned to London. His own account of the adllon was printed. The Tories abetted him in the houfe of commons ; and a vote of thanks was paffed, not without many Ifvere and perfonal reflexions on Marlborough, who was accufed of making ufe of unjuftifiable means to depreciate the merit of a fl Feb, 25, o. s. * 7 deferving. jiage. 4q8 history of great BRITAIN. C H A P. defervlnc; officer. Webb himfelf, it mufl; be confeflTecl, %vas a VII. o i_— >^-— ' great enemy to bis own reputation, by appearing too fenfible of ''°^' the importance of the fervice '. The two Though the conteft between parties afcended not to any de- the Qu(en to grec of violence in the prefent feffion, the flame of difcord, which aiecoa mai- ^^^^^ ^^^^^. arofe to an extraordinary height, began already to ap- pear in the debates of both the houfes. In one fmgular addrefs to the throne, an unufual unanimity appeared. The Queen, as head of the church, had ordered, on the thirteenth of January, that the form of prayer, for ifliie of her body to fucceed her in the throne, fliould be difcontinued after the eighth of the next month, the anniverfary of her acceffion to the crown. Mr. Wat- fon, fon to the Lord Rockingham, moved, in the houfe of com- mons, on the twenty-fifth of January, that an addrefs fhould be prefented to her Majefty, to moderate her grief, and to entertain thoughts of a fecond marriage. Though the motion feemed to convey a degree of ridicule, it pafTed the commons, without op- pofition, and received the concurrence of the lords. The Queen herfelf, confidering her conftitution, and even her years, could fcarce look upon the addrefs in any ferious light. Her an- fwer, ho^jvever, was full of propriety. She faid, that the pro- vlfion which (he had made for the Proteflant fucceffion, would always be a proof of her wlfhes for the happinefs of the king- dom. But that the fubjeifl of their addrefs was of fuch a nature, that flie was perfuaded they did not expe£l a particular anfwer '. Capital of The commons had, with great alacrity and unanimity, voted the bank . \ . (aoabied. the fupplies. But the funds, upon which they could be charged, were not fo eafily found. The miniftry, at length, fell upon an expedient which anfvvered their neceflities. They propofed to ''Kane's Memoirs. ' Journals. double I jo;. .y'JAl Q^U E E N A N N E. 409 double the capital of the bank, and to prolong to one and twenty ^ ^ ^ ^■ years its time, which was othcrwife to have expired on the firft of Augufi: 1.7 1 1. The terms obtained by government for thefe ad- vantages, were four hundred thoufand pounds, at fix per cent, and the circtdation of two millions four hundred thoufand pounds in exchequer-bills. Books were accordingly opened for fub- fcriptions. So eager were the people for employing their mo" ney on fuch advantageous terms, that in lefs than four hours the whole fum was fubfcribed. Though the rapidity with which the fubfcription was filled, was rather a proof of the neceffities of government than of the wealth of the people, the facility with V;hich fuch a great fum was raifed, was calculated to give a high opinion of the fiouridiing ftate of the kingdom to foreigners. They perceived, withadegree of aftonifhment, that after fuch great exertions, in a war of many years, the nation feemed to be fo '"• iar from being exhaufted, that more than the whole annual revenue of dates deemed powerful on the continent, was raifed in a few hours in this ifland '. Thefe were the moft material tranfaftions of this feffion of parliament, which was terminated by a prorogation, on the twenty-firft of April ". During meafures, calculated for the vigorous profecutlon of Propofais of the war, ferious propofais for re-eftablifliing the public tran- by France. quillity were made by the French King. The rout at Oude- narde, the taking of Lifle, a famine in his kingdom, the confe- quent deficiency in the revenue, the general difcontents of the people, and the contefls between his fervants, forced Lewis the Fourteenth to offer terms of peace, at once fuitable to the melan- choly fituatlon of his own affairs, and proportionable to the fuccefs of the allies. The envoy of Holftein Gottorp, firft founded the States-general on the fubjedl. The prefident Rouille ,^as fent.in the beginning of the year to Antwerp, where * Hift, of Europe, 1709, Burnet, vol. iv. J» Journals, Vol. II. G g g . te 410 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, lie l;ad feveral conferences with the deputies Buys andVanderDuf- \_-,-l.^ fen. He proceeded foon after to the Hague. The States, cautious 1709. of making any advances in an affair of fuch importance, without the participation of the allies, fcnt expreffes to the courts of Vienna and Great Britain. The Prince of Savoy and the Duke of Marlborough, who had managed, with fuch aftonifhing fuccefs, the war, were fully empowered by their refpedlive fovereigns, to treat with the minifter of France, and to fettle the terms of peace. They arrived, for that purpofe, at the Hague, in the beginning of the month of April ". ^^^'h °H ■ The Duke of Marlborough and Helnfius, the penfionary of fius, and i u- Holland, in the flridlefl: intimacy with Prince Eugene, formed a bi^ursofEu- kind of triumvirate, on whom the grand confederacy and confe- '°^'^' quently the fate of Europe depended. The two generals having gained fo many battles, and fucceed^d in all their arduous and im- portant undertakings, had acquired as much influence with the allies, as they had excited of terror among their enemies. Hein- fius had been the depdfitary of thefecrets of King William. He had been raifed by that Prince to the place of iirft minifter, and had the good fortune to prefcrvc the authority which he had received, by being the chain which united the States with the grand confede- racy formed by his late patron againft the houfe of Boirrbon. AH the three feemed to have a perfonal intereft in oppofing the peace. The Duke of Marlborough, befides the thirft of glory, which was probably common to him with other men, had an opportu- nity, by a continuance of the war, to gratify a paffion flill more predominant in his mind, the love of money. Prince Eugene» being a foldier of fortune, had no bufinefs with tranquillity, in which generals are commonly laid afide to ruft with their fwords. Heinfius, befides the dread of lofing his importance at home, by breaking the line which conneded him with foreign. * M. de Torcy, torn. i. powers* Q^U E E N A N N E. 411 powers, was abfolutcly under the dominion of Marlborough, ^ ^^ J^ ^• vv-hofe addrefs in the cabinet was ftill more irrcfiflible, ilian his ' » •> condud in the held. ^' The court of France, with their uf'ual refinement, hoped to J^e French ' lorm hopes on derive advantage towards the neceffary peace, from thofe very of his prefdice. The army on the Rhine had been formed with difficulty, and its motions were flow. He, therefore, re- folVed to remain in Flanders, and to fecond the Duke of Marl- borough, in thofe great defigns, which had probably fruftrated the conclufion of an honourable and highly advantageous peace. The army was in a condition fuitable to the magnitude of the concerted enterprifes. The troops, that had gained fo much glory and fufFered fo great lofl'es, in the preceding campaign, had been early recruited. The frefli reinforcements, confifting of fome Britlfli regiments, and eight thoufand Saxons, which the Duke of Marlborough had negociated with King Augurtus, had aug- mented the army of the allies in Flanders, to one hundred and ten thoufand combatants ^ The wretched ftate, into which a fevere winter had reduced France, had facilitated the recruiting of her forces. Thofe who could procure no bread at home, were forced, for mere fuftenance, to iulifl; themfelves as foldiers. The army oppofed to the allies in Flanders, was commanded by the Mare- fchal de Villars. Though inferior in number to the enemy, the troops derived a kind of fpirit, from their very defpair ^ The allies Jn the end of June, Prince Eugene and the Duke of Marl- force the borough formed their army, on the plains of Lifle. The num- batde, " ^ ^^^ ^^ their troops, their confidence in their own conduft, the confternation of the French, and their promifes to the allies to difperfe the army of the enemy, and to penetrate into the heart of France, rendered thofe able generals extremely anxious ta bring matters, by a battle, to a decifion. The Marefclial de Viliars had occupied a ftrong poft, between Courlere and the town of Bethune, which covered both his wings. He was defended in front, by the villages of la Baflee and Pont-Avendln. He covered, by this pofition of his army, the cities of Doway and. t Life of Marlborough, voJ. ii. Hift. d'Angleterre, torn, iii, ^ Hift. de France, torn. iii. 2 Arras^ QJJ E E N A N N E. 431 Arras, the taking of which would have opened a wide padagcto the ^ '^ '^ ''• allies into the heart of France. The generals of the confederates ' ■* having advanced within two leagues of the enemy, rode out on ' the twenty-fourth of June to view their fituation. Finding it too ftrong to venture a battle, they decamped in the night, and fat fuddenly down before Tournay''. Villars, afraid of being attacked in his camp, had injudicioufly weakened the garrifon of Tournay to five thoufand men; and it was the intelligence re- ceived by the allies concerning this circumftance, that induced their generals to form the fiege of that important place '. Tournay was one of the firongeft and mod ancient cities of take the Flanders. It had been from time immemorial fubjeft to France, citadel of till it fell into the hands of Henry the Eighth, King of England, T^^^^y- in the year 1513. It was, however, foon after reftored, through the intrigues and iniiueace of Cardinal Wolfey. The Spaniards took Tournay in the year 16 18. But, ha,ving been retaken by Lewis the Fourteenth, in the year 1667, it was rendered, by new fortifications, one of the ftrongeft places in the Netherlands. The fituation of the town is extremely advantageous for defence. No commanding heights are near ; and it is fo well covered on every fide, that an enemy mufl be in pofleffion of the covered, way, to batter in breach. The Scheld, which divides the town, muft naturally divide the enemy ; a circumftance often incon- venient and always dangerous. The citadel, fortified with all the fkill of Vauban, was ftill more ftrong than the town. The place, hov/ever, was fo well attacked, or fo ill defended, that it fell into the hands of the allies, after one and twenty days openi trenches. The governor entered the citadel, with the remains of his garrifon, on the thirtieth of July. But, at the end of a month, he alfo furrendered that place '. ' Kane's Memoirs. Life of Marlborough. 'Ibid. ' Hifl. d'Angleterre, torn. ii. The 422 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ "vfr ^' The important city of Tournay being taken, the allies formefl* *- — —— ^ the defign of befieging Mons. The Prince of Hefle having been Mons be^ ordered, with a ftrong detachment, to dlflodge a party of the f'cgcil enemy, ported in the neighbourhood of that city, was foon after followed by the whole army. Villars, having formed the refo- lutlon of preferving or relieving the place, pafled the Scarpe, and encamped between that river and the Scheld. Finding himfelf difappointed in his hopes of arriving before the main army of the allies, at Mons, he ftopt ftiort at Malplaquet, a village fcarce a league diftant from that city. He entrenched himfelf in that Itrong fituation, and prepared to give all the diflurbance poflible to the befiegers. His right extended to the village of Malpla- quet, which lay behind the extenfive and impenetrable wood of Sart. His left was covered with another deep wood. Along a very narrow plain oppofed to his center, he drew trenches behind trenches, and covered the whole with a row of trees, with all their branches, which he had cut down and carried from the neigh- bouring woods. The generals of the confederates, refolving to diflodge the French from their ftrong poft, viewed their fituation, on the tenth of September, and fixed upon the next day for the execution of their plan". Bade of Scarce had day-light appeared, when the two armies, hav- a p aquct, .^^ prepardl themfelves in the night for adion, were feen ranged in complete order of battle. The allies had refolved to attack, at once, the whole line of the enemy. The Britifh troops \Yere oppofed to the left, the Dutch to the right, and the Ger- mans to the center of the French. The Marefchal de Villars placed himfelf at the head of his left wing. He committed the char^-e of the right to the Marefchal dc Boufflers, who, though his fcnior, confcated to a£t a fecond part. After an awful fuf- pence and filence for near two hours, the battle began at eight of " Mem. dc Feuquiere. Kane's Memoirs. Xhe i7og. QJJ E E N A N N E. 4^3 the clock. In a moment the firing extended from wing to ^ '^^^ ^• wing. Few ages ever produced (o long, Co obftinate, fo bloody a battle. The allies were roul'ed by their former victories. 'I he French were become, in a manner, furious, through dcfpair. The Duke of Argyle, with the left of the Britifh trooj-y, pafSng through a raorafs, deemed impradicablc, charged, with fury, the enemy ftationed in the wood, in his front, and drove them into the plain behind, where they inftantly formed. This circum- flance contributed greatly to the fuccefs of the allies. Villars, as had been forefecn, weakened his center to fupport his left wing againft the fierce alTault of the Britilli infantry. The French fuf- tained, with uncommon firmnefs, all the efforts of their enemies, iii the plain. They even drove them back into the wood from which they themielves had been driven. The carnage was im- menfe. But neither fide fliewed any inclination to put an end to flaughter by flight ^ The Dutch, under Count Tilly, were, in the mean time, en- long, cMi- gaged with the right of the French, Advancing, in three lines, uo^jy'" to the entrenchments^ they made and fuftained a terrible fire, for the fpace of an hour. Some battalions giving way before them, were brought back and confirmed in their ftation, bv the vigi- lance, courage, and adivity of the Marefchal de Boufflers. The Dutch, in their turn, gave ground a little way. Some French battalions, emboldened by their own refiftance, rufhed from their entrenchments, puilied the enemy from one of their batteries, feized their colours, and regaining their port, fufiained a fecond charge. The unexpe«iled obftinacy of the French, in both wings, induced the generals of the confederates to entertain thoughts of de- fining from the attack. General Cadogan, in that inflant, perceived the void left in the center of the enemy, by the troops called by Villars to fupport his left. Prince Eugene refolved to attack, in " Hift. d'Angleterre, ton), ii. Kane's Meraoira. perfon, 1709. 4H HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^VM ^' V^^^^^i t^^ intrenchracnts in that place. He led fome frefli ■battalions to the charge. He entered the line of the enemy. He flanked a rcgmicnt of French guards, and forced them to ily. Villars, haftening to fupport his center, was wounded and carried from the field. The Marefchal de Boufflers, not- withflanding, fuflained the fight with obftinacy. The cavalry of the allies had already entered his lines. He ordered the Chevalier dc St. George, who ferved in this campaign, to ad- vance at the head of twelve hundred of the horfe-guards. In one defperate iTiock the German horfe were broken and diflipated. But the two generals of the allies, who, on that occafion, joined the va- lour of foldiers to the condu£t of great captains, rallied their ca- valry, forced the enemy back on their lines, and advancing flowly, but firmly, under the fire of thirty pieces of cannon, fhowed, by their fteady motions, that they were refolved to gain the field \ The French BouFFLERs, perceiving the firm countenance with which the Mcmstak«n. cnemy advanced, refolved to prevent worfe confequences, by withdrawing his army from the field. He carried off all his cannon, except fiaurteen pieces, difmounted in the a6lion. His retreat partook, in nothing, of flight. It was neither confufed nor precipitate. Tl\e enemy were in no condition to prefs upon has rear. They contented themfelves with the field of battle, now covered with near forty thoufand men, comprehending the wound- ed and the flain. This battle was one of the mofl; bloody, and, perhaps, the moft fingular, that had been fought for feveral ages. The trophies were few in number, and they were reciprocal. The generals and officers, on both fides, aded their refpedtive parts with diftinguiilied condud ; and all their efforts were fupported by the troops with confummate courage. Though the field of battle remained in thepofTelRon of the allies, the French obtained an lionour almoft equal to thatof vi<3:ory,byafleady, regular, judicious, ' M, de Feuquiere. Hlft. d'Angleterre, torn. li. and 1709. QJJ E II N ■ a N N E. 425 xnd lafe rclreat. The lofs of the confederates, in this bloody ^ ^^f- ^■ adion, amounted to twenty thoufand men. The French left more than eight thoufand dead on the field. Though the abilities of Prince Eugene and the Duke of Marlborougli extricated themfelves with honour from this hazardous attack, men could fcarce forgive their rafhnefs in throwing away the lives of thoufands, without any neceffity. Mons might have been taken without a battle. The confederates, at leaft, might have had the choice of their own ground ''. Mons was inverted on the twenty-fifth of September. The furrender of that place, on the twentieth of Oiflober, put an end to the campaign on the fide of Flanders. The unprovided ftate of the Imperlalifts fcarce maintained the OperatJons iliew of war, on the Upper-Rhine. The Eledtor of Brunfwick> p^r-Rhine'.' who commanded the army of the Empire, formed fome important fchemes. But he found the troops in no condition to fccond his defigns. He propofed to pafs the Rhine, and to penetrate into the Upper Alface, while the Duke of Savoy fhould crcfs the Rhone and enter Franche-comte, where the two armies were to join. The Eled:or executed his part of the plan, as far as he was permitted by the wretched ftate of the forces under his command. The Duke of Savoy, difpleafed whh the Emperor, became care- lefs concerning the fate of the war. The Eledlor, in profecution of his part of the fcheme, detached Count Merci, with a ftrong body of troops, into the Upper Alface. But on the twenty-fixth of Auguft, that general was totally defeated by the Count de Bourg, and forced, with the fhattered remains of his forces, to repafs the Rhine. The defeat of Merci ended all military operations 011 that fide. The Eledor, during the remaining part of the cam- paign, kept himfelf within his lines; while the Frencli, under * Kane's Memoirs. M. de Feuquierc. Vol. ir. I i i the 42Cj HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. tjie Marechal d'Harcourt, laifed heavy contributions in tlie neigh- bourhood of Landau and in the Marquifate of Baden 1.70'. V r3nipa;gn rn The difputcs between the Emperor and the Duke of Savov, Pauphine ' i r nn-i i* HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, VII, 1710. Saclieverell found guilty. Preliir.in - ries cf peace ottered by france. lution. That vacancy or abdication was the (ubje£l of the debates of the convention ; and that refiflance, a word both dangerous and odious, ought for ever to be forgot. He obfcrvcd, with pe- cuHar fagacity, that had not the attempt fucceeded, it would have certainly been rebellion ; and that, for his part, he knew no other but hereditary right ". Though the arguments, on the other fide, were neither new nor, perhaps, conclufive, they were more intelligible and manly. The lords, as the refult of the debate, declared, that the articles exhibited by the commons were proved. But they found it diffi- cult to determine, what cenfure fhould be paffed on Sacheverelf. Thofe who argued moft againft his doctrines, feemed leaft inclined to be fevere. The populace were already inflamed to a degree of fury. Many dreaded perfonal infults. Some were afraid of commotions, which the enemies of the kingdom might improve to their own advantage. A few, who thought they had gone too far, from a prudent regard to their own interefV, began dexte- roufly to fall down with the tide. The fentencc, therefore, which, was pafled, if not unequal to the guilt of Sacheverell, was cer- tainly unfuitable to the dignity of his accufers and the folemnity of his trial. He was fufpended, for three years, from preaching, and his fermon was ordered to be burnt by the hands of the com- mon hangman. The famous decree of the univerfity of Oxford, paffed upon occafion of the Rye-houfe plot, in the year 1683, was alfo burnt, by a vote of the lords. This decree, in an uncommon ftrain of fervility, recognized the dodlrine ofpaffive obedience and non-refiftance in the moft unlimited fenfe of the words, owned the abfolute and indefeafible rights of Kings, and the unalterablenefs of the hereditary fucceffion to the crown ^ While the whole attention of the Britlfh nation was engaged, by the profecution of Dr. Sachevei'ell, the French continued to • Pari, debates. Publications of the Times, * Priitted Decree. make Q^U E E N ANNE. 437 make eariieft folicitations to the allies, for the reftoratlon of the CHAP. vir, public tranquillity. The opening made by Pettekum, the envoy k-^^ t of Holftein, in the end of the year, induced the court of Verfailles '^'°' to offer the fending plenipotentiaries, to any part in Holland or Flanders, the States General Ihould appoint, to enter into im- mediate negociations of peace. They propofed, inftead of the preliminaries figned by the allies, in the preceding year, to re- diice their own conceffions into a more comprehenfive, but an equally ample form. The French King engaged himfelf to acknowledge Charles the Third as King of Spain, to withdraw all fuccours from his grandfon, to forbear fending him any future affiftance, to forbid his fubjedts to inlift in his fervice, to confent that no part of the SpaniHi monarchy fhould ever be united with France. To the Emperor and empire, he promifed to reftore the city of Strafbourg, the town of Brifac, to content himfelf with Alface, in the hteral fenfe of the treaty of Munfter, to cede the town of Landau, to rafe all his fortifications on the Rhine, from Bafil to Philipfburgh, to acknowledge the King of Pruffia, and the Eledor of Hannover. With regard to Great Britain, he en- gaged himfelf to acknowledge Queen Anne and the proteffant fucceffion, to reflore Newfoundland, and to demolifh the fortifi- cations and to ruin the harbour of Dunkirk, to confent that the Pretender fhould leave the dominions of France. To the States he promifed to yield the barrier fpecified, in their own preli- minaries, to confirm his former offers, with regard to their trade. To the Duke of Savoy he granted all the demands of the allies. But, in return, he expedted, that the Eledors of Bavaria and Co- Ibgn, fhould be reflored to their territories and dignities ^ These propofals being rejeded by the allies, France made addi- conference* tionsto her conceffions. Having obtained paffes from the States, ^' Gertru)-- the court of Verfailles difpatched the Marefchal d'Huxelles and the *" **^ ' De Torcy, tom. ii. Abbe I/IO. 43S HISTORY OF GREx^T BRITAIN. ^ ^vu ^ Abbe de Polignac, as her plenipotentiaries to conclude a peace. Thefe minifters arrived at Moerdyke, on the ninth of March. After various conferences with Buys and Vander Duffen, the de- puties of the States, they opened, on the twentieth of the month, a ferious negociation of peace at Gertruydenberg. During re- peated conferences, with the intervention of feveral expreffes, Jent by the plenipotentiaries to Verfailles for further powers, the French departed from almoft all the refervations they had made, in the preliminaries fent in the beginning of the year to Holland. They agreed to relinquifli every demand of an equivalent for ■tie cefTion of the Spanifh monarchy. They offered even a fubfidy of a million of livres, a month, to the allies, till King Philip fliould be driven from Spain. They relinquifhed even Alface to the Emjieror ; and, as a fecurity for the performance of the ar- ticles of the treaty, engaged to deliver the fortified towns of French Flanders, into the hands of the allies. The haughtinefs of the States, who had the management of the negociation, in- duced their deputies to rife in their demands, in proportion as France increafed her conceffions. They infifted that Lewis the Fourteenth, inftead of paying a fubfidy towards the war againft his grandfon, ihould affifl: the allies with all his forces, to expel him frojn tlie throne '. are fruitlefe. In this untoward ftate of the negociation, the Duke of Marl- borough and Prince Eugene, at the requeft of the Dutch, came to give their advice concerning the objed: of the congrefs. Men who profited fo much by the war, were not likely to facilitate the conclufion of peace. Their influence with Heinfius, who had eftablifhed a kind of unlimited power over the councils of the States, facilitated the completion of their views. Safe in a peri'on in whom they had reafon to place an unbounded con- fidence, they contrived to induce the Emperor and the Queea ' De Torcv, lom. ii, 5 of Q^U E E N ANNE., 439: of Great Britain to throw the whole negociation into the hands C H A p, of the repubUc. The characters of the Dutch deputies, who ma- \ ^— ;- naged the conferences at Gertruydenberg, were more calculated '^'°" to embarrafs any negociation, than to bring it to a happy conclu- fion. Buys, was a vain, confident, and tedious man. Pic mif- took his own loquacity for eloquence ; and being paffionately fond of difplaying this talent, involved his fubjed in figures and unmeanins: declamation. Vander Duflen was worfe than a mere cypher in the conference ; as his filence, by being taken for affent, confirmed his colleague in his impertinences'. In the hands of- fuch men, it was not likely that any negociation, however fa- vourable the terms might have been to the allies, could be brought to any degree of forwardnefs, before the feafon proper for commencing the operations of the campaign. While ineffedual conferences for reftoring peace continued at Campaign in.^ Gertruydenberg, the allies carried on the war in Flanders, with an appearance of vigour. The Duke of Marlborough and the Prince of Savoy, having afl'embled the army near Tournay, in the middle of April, entered the French lines, without refiftance, and fat down before Douay, in the beginning of May. Arras would have been the fhorteft way to the heart of France, there being no place of ftrength between that city and Amiens, the capital of Picardy. But the generals of the confederates deter- mined on the fiege of Douay, as that place covered Lifle and the reft of their conquefts in Flanders. This city, ftrong in its fitua- tion, but ill fortified, was garrifoned with eight thoufand men. The trenches were opened in the firft week in May, and the fiege was not ended till the twenty-ninth of June. The enemy, hav- ing aflembled near Peronne, advanced toward Cambray, with a force fufficient to relieve Douay. But the defeat of one army might endanger .the fall of the ftate ; and, therefore, the Mare- " DeTorcy, vol. i. fchal 440 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ %!i^ fchal de Villars, who commanded the Trench, aficr having ad- *- — J — -^ vanccd to within cannon Ihot of the allies, thought proper to re- 1710, . , . • f tire, leaving Douay to its rate. Sereralplaces He obferved the fame line of prudence throughout the whole allies! ^ ' ^ of the prefent campaign. The confederates took fucccITively Kethune ', St. Venant", and Aire*". . The long refiftance made by thofe towns, comprehended the whole operations of the war, on the fide of Flanders. Tlie allies gained three places of import- ance, and concjuered twelve leagues of a fine country^ But they loft twenty-fix thoufand men by the fword. Half their in- fantry was ruined by wounds, difeafes, and fatigue \ The French experienced but one inftance of good fortune in the prefent fum- mer. The garrifon of Ypres cut off a convoy, with military ftores, carried in boats along the Lys, under the command of the Earl of Athlone. Having gallantly defended himfelf for fome time, his whole body of infantry, confifting of more than one thoufand men, were either flain or taken. The cavalry were broken and difperfed. The boats and ftores were taken. The vi£tors having carried away whatever was portable, fet fire to the magazine of powder. The explofion was fo violent, that fome neighbouring villages were overturned. The earth trembled all the way to Valenciennes, and even to St. Quintin, and the Lys was feparated into two channels, by the opening of the ground aad its navigation interrupted. Affairs of The fame Inadivity wliich difgraced former campaigns, conti- anTsaTOv. nued throughout the fummer, on the banks of the Rhine, The French were weakened, by detachments to their army in Flanders. The army of the empire, flow as ufual in its motions, and un-, provided with the means of war, were either incapable or unwilling to convert to their own advantage, the opportunity offered by the 'Auguftzg. " Sept. 19. *' Nov. 9. " Hill, d'Angleterre. feebka6i« Q^U E E N A N N E. 441 Vll. ' r— 171c. nefs of the enemy. The Eledor of Hannover, juftly judging of ^^,,^ ^* the unprepared ftatc of the Imperialifts, by their unpardonable negligence in former campaigns, declined a command, in which nothing could be expedted but difgrace. The war, on the fide of Savoy, produced no a£lion of any importance. The difagreement between the Emperor and the Duke ftill continuing, the latter refufed to take the field in perfon. Count Thaun commanded the army. He was oppofed, on the fide of France, by the Duke of Berwick. The vigilance, a£livity, and conduit of the Duke, dif- appointed all the advantages, which the allies might have reafon- ably expected from their fuperior force. But the difcontents of the Duke of Savoy feemed to have extended therafelves to his army. They were cold and languid in all their motions, and hovered, throughout the fummer, on the frontiers of Dauphine, without making any effort that deferved to be named. The campaign in Spain was rendered memorable, by the alter- operanonsin nate defeats of the two pretenders to the throne of that kingdom, o^^^imenwa, Philip the Fifth, with an army confifting entirely of Spaniards, took the field in the beginning of May. Having pafled the Segra, he fat down, on the fifteenth of the month, before Balaguer, and raifed batteries againft the place. But upon the approach of Count Staremberg, he repaffed the river, and retired to Lerida, where he waited for a reinforcement of troops, from every fide.- King Charles having, in the mean time, refolved to meet his rival in the field, joined the army near Balaguer, in the beginning of June. Philip, willing to bring the conteft to a decifion, pafled, a fecond time, the Segra. The two armies direding their route to Almenara, came to a battle, in the neighbourhood of that place ^ . The charge was furious on both fides. But the vidory was foon decided. The cavalry of Philip were difperfcd in the firft fhock. His infantry were driven from the field. He retired with his 1 July 27. Vol. II. Ill broken 442 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. VII. 1 7 10. broken army, leaving his artillery and greatcft part of iiie baggage to the enemy. His lofs in men was inconfidorable; and he found means to colled feventcen thoufand of the fugitives, under the cannon of Lerida \ Battle of Sar- The rout at Almenara was but a prelude to a greater .miKfor- tune, which foon after fell on the arms of Philip the Fifth. That Prince, to cut off the communication between the enemy and Caftile, paffed the Cinca and marched toward Sarragoffa. On the eighteenth of Auguft, he fixed his camp within a league of that city. The count de Staremberg, one of the moft able generals of the age, commanded the allies. The Marquis de Bay, being recalled by Philip from the province of Eflramadura, was placed at the head of the Spaniards. The firft fought ear- neftly after an opportunity of giving battle. The latter avoided it in vain. The Spaniards were again routed, with the lofs of three thoufand men. They, however, found means to fave their artillery and baggage, though they retired in great diforder to Tudela. The Britifh troops, under general Stanhope, bore the chief fliare in a vidory, which threatened to decide the fate of Spain. The vidlors marched ftraight to Madrid. Philip quitted, a fecond time, the capital to his rival, and retired to Valladolid. The religious enthufiafm of the Spaniards, together with a rooted averfion to the houfe of Auftria, under whofe feeble tyranny they had languiflied for near two centuries, was of greater benefit to Philip than their arms. They confidered Charles the Third as a King impofed upon them by Heretics ; and their attachment to his rival rofe in proportion to his misfortunes ^. General Stan- hope, who had poffeffed himfelf of Madrid, was better calculated to defeat an enemy, than to gain the affedlions of the vanquiihed. The army lived at large upon the people, without order, without y Hid. d'Angleterre, torn. iii. Hill. d'Elpagne, torn. ii. ^ Hilt. d'Efpagne, torn. ii. &c. moderation^ QJJ E E N A N N E. 443 CHAP. VII. 1710. moderation, and without difcipline. They raifed contributions on private perfons. They pillaged the churches, and fold pub- lickly the utenfiis of the altar. The ravages of the allies com- bining with the obftinacy of the Spaniards, created fuch a dearth of provifions in Caftille, that feventecn thoufand men, the number of which the vidlorsconfiftcd, found themfelves incapable of fubfift- ing in the kingdom *. The inconfiderate feverity of the allies, contributed to cncreafe '^cn. s.-an. ilODC t3K€n greatly the affedions of the Caftilians for the houfe of Bourbon. priToner.with On the other hand, the Duke de Vendome, whom the caprice of ,^^°° ^"^'^'^ the Duke of Burgundy had rendered ufelefs to France, ailumed, at the requeft of Philip, the chief command in Spain. The no- bility crowded from every fide, with their followers, round the ftandard of a general in whofe conduit they could confide. To thefe were joined thirty-five battalions of French foot, with twenty-eight fquadrons of horfe, detached from Dauphine by the Duke of Berwick. The army under Vendome, before the end of October, amounted to thirty thoufand men. Another army of French, under the Duke de Noailles, aflembled in Rouflillon, were preparing to enter Catalonia. Thefe efi"orts on the fide of Philip, were feconded by diflentions among the allies. The latter re- treated, in a kind of confufion, toward Catalonia, whither Charles had already retired. They divided themfelves, for the benefit of fubfiftence, into two bodies. Staremberg commanded the moft numerous, and marched in front. Stanhope, with five thoufand Britifh troops, brought up the rear. The latter ftopt, on the eighth of December, at a fmall unfomified town called Brihcuga. He was ignorant that hope gives wings to foldiers as well as fear. The Duke dc Vendome had fvvam acrofs the Tagus with all his cavalry. He was juft at the heels of Stanhope, when that gene- ral had the imprudence to fhut himfelf up in full fecurity in the • JJift. d'Angleterre. L I 1 2 village 444 HISTOHY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C ^ ,A P- village of Briheuga. He was invefted, without hopes of efcape, *— — V • before he perceived his danger. He defended himfelf with great fpirit. But he was at length forced to furrender at difcretion ". Battle of Vii- The Count de Staremberg, apprifed of the danger of gene- •t. icio a. ^^j Stanhope, returned to his relief with his whole army. But this circumftance, inftead of ferving the caufe of the allies, was produdive of frefh misfortunes. He came too late to difengage his friends. He had advanced too far to retreat with fafety from his enemies. The Duke de Vendome met the allies at Villa- Viciofa, about two leagues from the place of Stanhope's misfor- tune. He fearched for an opportunity of engaging the enemy. Staremberg could not avoid an a 449 been uniformly gained to the views of party, by the conftant ^ ^^ ^• alarms given, from time to time, to their zeal for the proteftant religion. The Whigs, by harping judicioufly on this firing, had frequently taken the cabinet by florm. They had often triumph- ed over their political opponents, by the means of popular cla- mour, even when that party had formed a great majority in the houfes of parliament. The Tories made repeated efforts to take pofTefFion of an engine, that had fo much annoyed themfelves. The opinion, that the church of England was in danger, from the DifTenters and men of levelling principles, had been propagated with great zeal, ever fince the beginning of the prefent reign. The eloquence of the pulpit had been joined to the polemical arguments ifTued from the prefs. The eftablifhcd clergy them- felves began, through ufe, to believe the doctrine which had been firfl propagated for the purpofes of party. The vulgar gradually gave credit to what they heard fo often and fo vehemently urged. The Queen herfelf, with a credulity not unfuitable to her fex, was alarmed at a tale, which, fhe thought, was too often repeated not to have fome foundation in fadl. The imprudence of the Earl of Godolphin was the means of Theimpru- fetting fire to a train, that had been laid for feveral years. Perfe- joi'^in^'^'*" cution is always more fuccefsful than perfuafion, in confirming fpeculative tenets in weak minds. The attack upon Dr. Sache- verell, the folemnity and length of his trial, the vafl inequality between the accufers and the accufed, the vehemence of the Whigs, in throwing the whole weight of government in the fcale againft a private perfon, raifed the pity of the people; and that pafTion was improved into a£ts of violence, by the art, perle- verance, and clamours of zealots of the high-church party. The current, which had been long changing, ran down with a force, that levelled every thing in its courfe. Harley and his followers added their own weight to its violence. The Queen herfelf, en- VoL. 11. M m m couraged ITIO. 450 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^ j^ '^' couraged by the noife of the populace, fell gradually down with the ftream. She had been long difgufted with the behaviour of Marlborough. She hated the tyranny and feared the violence of his wife. She confidered herfelf as a kind of prifoner in the hands of a family, who had, in a i-nanner clothed themfelves with the whole authority of the crown, and ftruck the fceptre from her hands. With a pafTion natural to all princes, fhe was averfe to the levelling principles held forth by the Whigs ; and, for the fame reafon, flie abetted thofe of the Tories. andoMinacy TiiouGH the nation was not inflamed againfl: the Whigs, to a of Marl- _ ^ ° • c borough, degree fufficient to deprive them of power, till the folemn trial of Sacheverell, the Queen affumed fome courage from the colour of the times, in the beginning of the prefent year. Mrs. Mafhara, the new favourite, had a brother. Colonel Hill, who had dillin- guiflied himfelf in the battle of Almanza. The influence of his fifter, more, perhaps, than his merit, had recommended Hill to the attention of the Queen ; and fhe fhewed an inclination to raife him to the command of a regiment of dragoons, vacant by the death of the Earl of Eflex. The Duke of Marlborough, who had uninterruptedly poflefTed the difpofal of all military promotions, oppofed, with obflinacy, the advancement of Hill, as the brother of a woman, who had rendered herfelf odious to himfelf and his family. He retired to the country. He threatened to refign the command of the army. He employ»ed his friends to terrify the Queen and her favovurite, with addrefles from the parliament.. The Earl of Sunderland, the Duke's fon-in-law, then fecretary of ftate, had formed a defign to procure a vote of the commonsy to remove Mrs. Mafham from the Queen's prefence and fervice *. Apprized of this intended violence, Hill entreated the Queen to defift from her purpofe in his favour. She complied with his lequeft, for the time. But it became evident, that fhe was re- * Jan^zj, 1710* 1 fblved Q^U E E N A N N E. 4_ft folved to feizc the firft favourable opportunity of ridding herfelf of ^ ^ ^ ^• fervants whom Ihe now confidered as tyrants ^ y > 1710. The flame which had feized the nation, upon the trial of Sachc- ^^"^5" '''^'''" * _ oi the party. vercll, foon furniflaed the enemies of the family of Marlborough with the means of divefting them of their power. Harley and his aflbciates having free accefs to the Queen, through her fa- vourite, turned events, as they gradually rofe, to their own advantage. The changes, which foon after became general, were begun in the middle of April. The Duke of Shrewfljury, who had diftinguifhed himfelf in the debates concerning Sacheverell, againll the miniftry, was made chamberlain \ in the room of the Earl of Kent, who had refigned that office upon his being raifed to the dignity of a Duke. The promotion of Shrewsbury was confidered as a prelude to the fall of the miniftry. The people were induftrioufly prepared for an important change. The principles of the Whigs were, every where, reprefented as dangerous to mo- narchy and deftrudlive to the church. The Tories, by pofTeffing by far the greateft portion of the lands of the kingdom, were faid to poflefs the beft title to power. Thofe who formed the monied interefl: were called new men, that owed their very exiftence to the misfortunes of the ftate. They defcended from general obfervations on parties, to accufatlons of particular perfons. They affirmed, that the miniftry, confifting chiefly of one family, had excluded all others from every influence and power in the ftate ; while they held the Sovereign herfelf in the moft abjedl flavery. They fliewed, that naval aff^airs were abfolutely negleded. That the war in Spain was facrificed to the glory of the Duke of Marl- borough in Flanders. That the conquefts of that general pro- duced no advantage to the nation. That his power was formidable, his wealth immenfe, his connexions extenfivej and * Hill. d'Angkterre. MS. 17 10. « April 14. M m ra 2 that 452 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ viH ^' ^^^^ ^'^^ cxceflivc attachment to the interefts of the States of the *— — v^— J United Provinces, founded, perhaps, on thofe felfifh paflions to '^'^' which he was fubje£l, was fufficient to render him fufpeded of being capable of the worll defigns \ Sunderland THOUGH neither the Duke of Marlborough nor the Earl of difmilTed, , Godolphin were any longer ftrangers to the bad terms on which they flood with the Queen, they derived fome hopes of the con- tinuance of their power from her fears. But when, on the fourteenth of June, the feals were taken from the Earl of Sun- derland, neither they nor the nation could entertain any doubt, that a total change was near. The removal of the Earl from his office, elevated his enemies as much as it deprefled his friends. The Tories crowded the prefence of the Queen with addreffes and congratulations on her condudl. They extolled her Majefty for aflerting her juft prerogative. They rejoiced, they faid, at her having emancipated herfelf from the caprice and tyranny of an infolent junto, who had kept her in dependence and chains. The Whigs, on the other fide, though at firfl: they yielded to their defpair, endeavoured to fupport themfelves with the people, in oppofition to the Queen. They fuggefted and propagated a notion, that the credit of the nation wholly depended on the lord- treafurer. They affirmed, that the fuccefs of the war had pro- ceeded from the abilities and the aftonifhing good fortune of the Duke of Marlborough. To fupport the firfl of thofe maxims, they contrived to fink the price of the national flocks, by with- drawing their own money from the funds, with every fymptom of conflernation and panic. The diredlors of the bank of Eng- land were, at the fame time, induced by the party to reprefent to the Queen, the danger likely to attend the changing of her principal fervants. ^ Publications of the Timei. 3 Whili CLU E E N A N N E. 453 While the Whigs involved the monied intereft at home, in ^ ^^^ ^* their own caufe, the Duke of Marlborough endeavoured to fup- ' v— — » port the tottering authority of the party, by the intcrpofition Foreign of foreign powers. The Emperor and the States, attentive of pofe"orthe" themfelves to the domeftic affairs of Great Britain, liftened n^'n^^'y* readily to the fuggeflions of the Duke, and employed their good offices with the Queen. The Count de Gallas, the imperial minifter, and Vrybergen the Dutch envoy, reprcfcnted to her Majefty, the bad confequences which might refult to the affairs of the grand alliance from a change in her fervants. They affirmed, that even rumours fpread of her intentions of placing the management of her affairs in other hands, had already filled the confederates with jealoufies and fuipicions, and raifed the confidence and expectations of their enemies. Though the Queen afcribed thefe unufual interpofitions of other States, more to the arts of the Duke of Marlborough than to their zeal for the com- mon caufe, Ihe diffembled her refentment. She made anfwer to the Count de Gallas, that whatever change fhe might make at home, the Duke of Marlborough iliould continue to manage the ■war abroad ". This unufual effort, inflead of ferving the party, was turned Marlborough againfl them, with fuccefs, by their political enemies. Severe °-J^^ to^hJ* refledions were made upon the Emperor and the Dutch, for Pretender. prefuming to interfere in the internal affairs of a great and inde- pendent kingdom. The Tories inveighed, with vehemence, againfl Marlborough, as the fource from whom this frefh affront to the Queen had fprung. The Duke, on his part, was equally enraged. His paffion overcame that coolnefs of behaviour and deliberate addrefs, which fupplied, in his charadler, the abfence of great parts. He feemed refolved, by a fudden and great effort, to triumph over his enemies, and to revenge himfelf upon * Hift. of Queen Anne. Hift. d'Angleterre, the 454 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C viit ^' *^^^ Queen. When he received intelligence of the intended dif- « >/-—-* grace of Sunderland, he wrote inftantly to the Duke of Berwick % and offered his fervices to the court of St. Germains. Though he had often difappointed, before, the hopes of the excluded family, they refolved to treat him with attention and an appearance of con- fidence. They thought they could truft his prefent profeflions, as he was obliged to form new cngagementt!, for his own fafcty. Befides, they were afraid, that fliould they flight his advances, he ■would attach himfelf to the houfe of Hannover. The Pretender himfelf was, at the time, fervlng the campaign in Flanders, under the Marefchal de Villars. The exiled Queen wrote, therefore, an anfwer to Marlborough ; and Villars tranfmitted it to his ad- verfary by a trumpet ^. Letter to him In this letter, which was written with a degree of judgment iied Queen, and fpirit, flie exprefled her joy that Marlborough continued firm to the promifes which he had fo often made to her hufband and her fon. She was, however, furprifed to find that he enter- tained thoughts of quitting his high command. " Your retreat," flie faid, " will render you ufelefs to your friends, and an eafy prey to your enemies. You are too large a mark to be miffed by the fhafts of malice. The fafety of your opponents confifts in your ruin. They will reduce the army, where you have fuch great influence. They will fill all the branches of the revenue with their creatures. The credit of the new ofiicers, the influence of their preachers, the weight of the treafury, will not fail to return a new parliament very different from the prefent. Throw not, therefore, away the means of fupporting yourfelf and of affifting your friends. You are lofl: if you quit your employ- ments. But there is great difficulty in keeping them with dig- nity. Interefl: itfelf now declares for your honour. You cannot be in fafety without doing juftice, nor preferve your greatnefs ^ June 20. * Stuart-papers, 1710. without QJ] E E N A N N E. 455 without difcharging your duty. The time is precious to you, ^ ^ J^ p* and important to my fon. You defire us to apply to Mrs. Ma- «— -^ — -./ iham, the new favourite of the Princefs Anne. How can we, my Lord, apply to a ftranger. Mrs. Mafham owes us no obliga- tions. She has neither pledged her faith, nor promifed her afliftance. You have repeatedly done both, my lord ; and now it is in your power to place my fon in a condition to protedt yourfelf\" Though this letter had no declfive efFedl on Marlborough, he Achangein continued to hold a friendly communication with the Pretender. ' ^""" 'y^ He wrote, repeatedly, concerning him, to Villars '. He ex- prefTed, on many occafions, an anxious concern for his health and the profperity of his affairs. His own fituation became every day more critical and perplexed. Anne, fupported by the vehemence of the Tories, and the counfels of Harley, no longer difguifed her defign of ridding herfelf of the Whigs. On the eighth of Auguft, the Earl of Godolphin received a meflage from the Queen, to break his ftaff as lord-trea- furer of Great Britain. The treafury was immediately put in commiffion. The Earl Powlet was conftituted the chief at the board. But the fecret of affairs was known to lie in the hands of Robert Harley, made chancellor of the Exchequer. This change in the treafury was the forerunner of alterations in the other departments of the {late. The Lord Somers, the pre- fident of the council, being difmiffed, was fucceeded, on the twenty-firft of September, in that high office, by the Earl of Rochefler, maternal uncle to the Queen. Boyle, fecretary of flate, prevented his difgrace, by a voluntary refignation of the feals. Thefe were placed in the hands of St. John, formerly fecretary at war. The Duke of Devonfhire left his place of lord-fteward of the houfhold, to the Duke of Buckingham. The- * Stuart papers, 1710, > Ibid. Earl 456 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. Earl of Orford, better known under the name of Admiral Ruflel, vm. <^— ..- — t firft commiffioner of the admiralty, refigned. The Duke of '^'°* Marlborough would have been alfo difmifled; but his reputation was too high with the nation to render fafe his immediate dif- grace ''. Charafterof The removal of the Earl of Wharton, from the government the Earl of r • n- i • i ri-i • Wharton. of Ireland, was a falutary piece of juftice to that kmgdom. This nobleman, though pofleffing diftinguiflied talents, had been uniformly obnoxious to the virtuous of both parties, on account of an abandoned profligacy of principle, which he was at no pains to conceal from the world. In a contempt of all religion, he made an idle parade of infidelity. Impatient of reftraints of any kind, he avowed himfelf the enemy of all government. To be conneded with a party was neceffary, in a country where pre- ferment was gained, like victories, by the force of numbers. He adhered, therefore, to the Whigs, as a line more fuitable for the exertion of his talents. In the management of mobs, in the tumults of ele£lions, in reconciling the inconfiderate and fanguine to his views, by baits of profligate pleafures, the Earl of Whar- ton had no equal. In his exhibitions in the houfe of lords, he pofl'efled a ready, rather than a folid eloquence. His imagination was quick, his fatire poignant, his wit fertile, but coarfe. He often fpoke what are familiarly called good things, as he was afraid of faying nothing that was bad. Having acquired the reputation of a Wit, he endeavoured to fupport it on every occa- fion; and, with an incontinence fuitable to thofe who grafp at fame, in that way, frequently facrificed his beft friends to a joke. He was, however, fo ufeful to his party, that he was encouraged even by the graver heads of the W higs ; and thus, with talents which could fcarce gain him bread in any other line, he became confiderable in politics. To repair his fortune, which he had '' Hill, of Europe, 171c. fquandered, OJJ E E N A N N E. 4^7 fquandered, he alleged, in the fervice of the party, he was feiit to ^ ^ J^ ^• Ireland ; and if his purpofe was not anfwered, it was rather for want of time than affiduity. 1710. bitifni. The Duke of Marlborouj^h, of his whole party, remained Maribovoup,h , _ , ^ / accufes Har- alone in office. But notwithflanding this complaifance toward ley of jaco. the perfon of Marlborough, he was not capable of fuppreffing his refentment againft Harley, his mortal enemy. Though he himfelfwas in the moft intimate correfpondence with the court of St. Germains, he accufed the new miniftry to the Eledlor of Hannover, as fully determined to reflore the Pretender. In a letter to his Electoral Highnefs, on the thirteenth of Auguft, he profeffes his attachment to his family ; " with which," he fald^ " I confidcr thofe of my country and of all Europe infeparably <;onne(£ted. I hope the Englilh nation will not permit themfelves to be impofed upon by the artifices of Harley and his aflbciates. Their conduct leaves no room to doubt of their defign of placing the pretended Prince of Wales on the throne. We feel too much already their bad intentions and pernicious defigns. But I hope to be able to employ all my attention, all my credit, and all my friends, to advance the intereft of the Electoral family, to prevent the deftructive counfels of a race of men, who eftablifh principles and form cabals, which will infallibly overturn the Proteftant fucceffion, and with it the liberty of their country and the fafety of Europe '." Thefe aflurances derive their importance from the prefent circumftances of the perfon by whom they were made. When Marlborough accufed Harley of Jacobitifm to the Eled:or, he himfelfwas bufy in making profeffions of attachment, through the Marefchal de Villars, to that very pretended Prince, whofe fuccefllon to the throne was to have enflaved Britain and ruined Europe "'. ' Original letter. Hannover-papers, 1710. ■" Stuart-papers, 1710. Vol. II. N n n The 453 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, TfiE total change of the Britifh muiiftry alarmed the allies, and ■_ -.- .,' encouraged the houfe of Bourbon. The States, in particular, Uneafi'iiefs of entertained no doubt but that the Queeri, in changing her councils, theaiiies.anJ vvould change alfo her meafures. Her ambaflador, the Vifcount hopes of the ° f ranch. Townfhend, aflured them, in vain, that his miftrefs repofed the fame confidence in the Duke of Marlborough, and continued the fame firmnefs with regard to the common caufe. The jealoufy and ap- prehcnfions of the confederates were too ftrong to be removed by affuranccs. The Dutch regretted fmcerely the opportunities they had loft, by which they might have obtained great advantages to themfelves, and have the honour of reftoring peace to Europe. The French were as little able to conceal their gladnefs, as the allies were to difguife their uneafmefs. They flattered themfelves with the profpe£l of an immediate peace ; as the Tories, who now ruled every thing, had long declared themfelves averfe from an un- profitable war. The court of St. Germains, and particularly the Earl of Middleton, reprefented to Lewis the Fourteenth, that he was miftaken in his expedations from the Tories. He told him, that it was a matter of indifference to Lewis, whether high-church or low-church prevailed. Both, he faid, were equally the enemies of France ; and he even affirmed, that the Jacobites themfelves were highly averfe from the interefts of a court, who made no efforts in favour of the perfon whom they deemed their lawful fovereien ". *t>' Views and These difcouraging infinuations of the court of St. Germains, feis though juft, proceeded from the fanguine hopes which they them- felves had formed, on the flate of opinions in Great Britain.. They affirmed, in their memorials, that the two parties concurred in principles fuitable to the refloration of the excluded family. The church held forth, avowedly, that the crown was unalienable and hereditary. The Prefbyterians followed, they faid, the argu- f Stuart-papers, 1710. jnents QJJ E E N ANNE. 459- CHAP. 1710, ments of their Opponents, with a plain inference, that the Revo- yiii. lution itfelf was a rebellion. The two parties, they afrirmcd, feemed to agree, that the Princefs Anne, for fo they called the Queen of Great Britain, had no title to the throne. They urged, therefore, that this was the proper time for the King, for fuch was the high title they beftowed on the Chevalier dc St. George, to make his appearance in Britain". The Duke of Marl- borough advifcd them, in vain, againfi: any hoftile attempt on Great Britain : a meafure, he affirmed, which could not fail to unite the parties ". He averred, that the inveteracy exhibited by every parliament, and the union which appeared among the people upon the intelligence of any invafion, proceeded from a rooted averfion to France, more than from want of afFe£lion to the ex- cluded family. He confidered the removal of the Chevalier de St. George from France, as a great ftep toward his refloration ; and that circumftance, he faid, was one of the advantages which the pretended Prince would derive from a peace''. The Chevalier himfelf coincided in opinion with Marlborough, of the court He perceived, that France had fcarce ever any ferious intention ° ■'' "" to reftore his family. He knew, tliat at prefent, fhe was inca- pable of ferving him to effe£t, had fhe even been willing. He, therefore, earneftly wiflied for peace; and no article, he faid, could pleafe him more, than the requifition of Great Britain, to remove him from the dominions of France'. His minifter, the Earl of Middleton, was of a different opinion. He endeavoured to argue the court of Verfailles to undertake another attempt up- on Scotland. " The Scots,'* he faid, " in general, favoured the hereditary line. None had deferted the party, after tlie bad fuc- cefs of the laft enterprife. No fecret had been ever better kept. No accufers appeared, no witnefTes could be found to condemn." " Stuart papers, Aug. 2, 171O. ''Ibid, 1710. 1 Stuart papers. De Torcy, tom. i. ' Chtv. de St, George to Middleton, July 25, 1710. ' N n n 2 He 46o HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAm. CHAP, jjfg obferved. " that in England two parties were animated, to-. ' ' an extreme, againft each other. That the high-church main- '''°' tained non-refirtance, as a tenet of religion; and that the heredi- tary defcent of the crown is a law fo fundamental, that it cannot be changed by a£t of parliament. That the low-church, inftead of arguing againft thefe principles, affirmed, that the confequence of the firft is, that the government, ever fince the Revolution,, was an ufurpation ; and that the Pretender muft be acknov/ledged- lawful King,. is the inference to be drawn from the fecond. The people," he continues, " arc mere fpedators of this polemical con- teft. They conclude, that both are in the right; and that the Queen herfelf, by favouring the high-church party, is manifeilly in. the intereft of her brother." Projeflof an ^^L the friends of the excluded family, as well as the Duke of invafion, Marlborough, affured the court of St. Germains, that patience only was neccflary to re-cftabhfh them on the Britifh throne-. They wilhed them to detach themfelves from France, as the only means to reconcile thoroughly the nation to their claims. Mid- dleton, notwithftanding, folicited a fecond invafion of Scotland., He demanded only three thoufand men from the court of Ver- failles, and that confifting entirely of the Irifh in the French fcrvice. They were the beft calculated for the enterprife, he faid, as they fpoke the language of the Highlanders, and were accuf- tomed to the hardy manner of living, peculiar to the inhabitants of mountainous countries. The number of troops demanded, could, he continued, create no jealoufy. They were only fufficient to protedl the perfon of the Pretender, till a treaty for his even- tual fucceffion to the throne, after the death of his fifter, fhould be eftablifhed with the Britifli court. The court of France, either incapable of fparing any force, or unwilling to rifk their troops^ and their fhips in an enterprife which appeared uncertain in its confequences, paid little attention to thefe fuggeftions. Middle- ton Q^U E E N A N N E. 461 ton was fuffered to amufe hlmfelf, in fecret, with the vlfions of C H A P, future advantage to his mafter, which he formed on the fpecula- v- — .— » live arguments of the contending parties in Britain'. *''°* Though the court of St. Germains placed little faith in the Attadiment profefhons of the Earl of Godolphin, they loft the chief fupport of phin to the their caufe, when that minifter was forced to retire. His attach- ^'"^'■''' ment to the family of Stuart, though cautioufly and fuccefsfully concealed from the world, was certainly, next to his inherent timidity, the ruling palTion of his mind. He is faid to have only regretted his difgrace, as it deprived him of the power of ferving effedually the excluded line. He declared to his intimate friends . that he had been always in unhappy circumflances. That, being, firft diftrefled by the Tories, he was forced to throw himfelf into the hands of the Whigs. That his whole miniftry had been fpent in a ftruggle with the latter party ; and when he faw him- felf entirely mafter of his meafures, he was turned out of his office, by an event as trivial as it was unexpeded. He hoped, however, he faid, that Harley would reftore the King, for fo he called the Pretender. *' But he will make France neceflary to that meafure. I defigned to have done the bufmefs alone ; and to ftiew the French how poorly they had treated that unfortunate Prince, and how little they deferved at his hands'." Concerning Godolphin's projed for the reftoration of the Hisfuppofed Stuarts, fome judgment may be formed, from the papers and voui'^of'the"" propofals of that family. The Duke of Marlborough had figni- fted to the Marquis de Torcy, in the negociations for peace in the year 1709, that it was for the intereft of the Pretender to remove &om France. He propofed, at the fame time, to procure for him, from the Britifti nation, a fum equal to that which he re— ccived, for his fupport, from the court of Verfailles ; and to make. • Stuart'papers, Aug. 29, 1710. ' Ibid. 1710. ftipulation. Pretender. 462 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, flipulatlon witli the allies, for his fecurc retreat, either in Holland ^ ^ or Flanders. Provided with a kind of revenue, feparated from the '^' ' influence of a nation whom the fubjects of his anceftors abhorred, and divided only by a narrow channel from Britain, the Pretender would have found little difficulty in tranfporting himfelf into Scotland, and in appearing in that country at the head of a nume- rous body of his adherents. The redudtion of the army to a fmall number, upon the re-eftablifhment of peace, would have left the kingdom in a ftate fufficiently defencelcfs to juftify the minifter, in entering into a treaty with a perfon, whofe claims were favoured by a very great party in the nation. The natural moderation of his own charadter, his want of ambition, his prior engagements with Marlborough and Godolphln ", and even the improbability of his prevailing by force alone, would have in- duced the pretended Prince to accept fuch terms, as the Queen and the nation might choofe to impofe. He v?as, by no means, fo jealous as his father, with regard to the hereditary defcent and indefeafiblc rights of the crown. He would have been well pleafcd to have received it as the gift of the people. He would have been contented to accept of the throne of Scotland, or to have his name joined with that of Anne, in the royal title of Great Britain"; while the whole authority fhould remain, during life, in her hands. He would, perhaps, have refted fatisfied with an acknowledgment of his title as Prince of Wales, and the eventual fucceffion of the crown upon his filler's death ". His charac- Had his fecret defigns and intrigues remained unknown to the *"■ world, the Earl of Godolphln might have been tranfmittted to pofterity vath an unblemiihed charader. He was born with extenfive talents. Along experience had, in a particular manner, qualitied him for the great line of bufinefs. He underftood the ihterefts of the kingdom, the genius of the people, the fecret views «3:uart-papers, 1702. "Ibid. " M3S. of Q^U E E N A N N E. 4% CHAP. vni. 1710. of particular men, as well as the difpofition of parties. In lils public capacity, he was frugal of the money of the nation, with- out cramping its exertions with penury. An oeconomifl: of his private fortune, without the leaft tincture of avarice. Though forbidding in his addrefs, through the ftern gravity of an ha- bitual filence and an ungraceful manner, he gained manicind by the apparent fincerity of his chara£ter. He never kept fuitors in an unprofitable fufpence. He promifed nothing that he was not refolved to perform. He confidered diffimulation as an unmanly breach on veracity. He refufed, with franknefs, where he could not ferve with generofity. In the common line of bufinefs, he fliewed fuch undeviating attention to juflice, that thofe who were difappointed by his decifions, could not with-hold their efleem from his impartial condudt. Though he found it neceffary to difguife his own principles, he never affeded to pofTefs thofe of others, to gain either their fupport or their favour. Political timi- dity was the greateft defect of his mind. That paflion overcame frequently, in his public tranfadions, that fincerity which he uni- formly obferved in his private condu£l. The weaknefs which induced him to adhere, in his opinions, to the excluded branch of the houfe of Stuart, was a kind of virtue. He was firfi: placed in the line of fortune and ambition by that family ; and their confidence in his fidelity and attachment, contributed to con- tinue that gratitude, which he owed for their many and great favours. Though the timidity of Godolphin was highly unfavourable Obferva- to the family of Stuart, it was alfo produdive of bad confequences to his country. That weaknefs being generally known to the leaders of the two parties, their clamour and prefumption rofe in proportion to their hopes from the minifter's fears. The views of the Whigs and Tories being the fame, though their profeifions to the world were different, they had both recourfe to the fame arts I7I0. 464 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ viif ^ ^^'■^ ^^ poflefs themfelves of emolument and power. The preju- dices of the vulgar, that ready and obvious engine, for the hands of defigning men, were turned, with peculiar fuccefs, againft a minifter deftitute of courage. Though government had Acquired, from the very misfortunes of the people, the means of quieting their turbulence with eafe, few men in office knew their own ftrength, in a degree fufficient to remain fteady and unmoved, amidft the noife of an offended populace. Godolphin, yielding to his fears, negled;ed to procure an honourable and advantageous peace for his country, already ftaggering under the very weight of her vidories. He knew, that a meafure fo important, would furnifh the difcontented with the means of inflaming the nation ; and this, together with his fubferviency to the views of the Duke of Marlborough, induced him to negled: an opportunity of doling, with fplendor, a fuccefsful war. A total The difgrace of the Earl of Godolphin was confidered, by his change. party, as the certain prelude of their own total fall. Their fpirit feemed to have vanilhed with their good fortune. Few had the courage to continue in office. Fewer ftill had the boldnefs to retire with dignity. They quitted, one by one, their places, without any -concert of oppofition, or even defign of revenge. They carried their refignations further than their enemies either expeded or wifhed. The Queen fignified her inclination, that the Lord Cowper fhould continue chancellor. He derived, perhaps, this favour from his infignificance. But he alfo retired ''. The Tories purfued their victory, through every branch and department of government. All the relations, creatures, and dependents, of the former miniftry were difmilTed every where. The Revolution itfelf, it was with juftice obferved, had not made fuch a total change among the fervants of the crown. The Duke of Marl- borough remained alone of his whole party. But he owed this y Sept. 23. mark CL^J E ft N A N N E. 465 mark of diftindioii to his own high reputation, n^ope than to any ^ ^ '^ '*• forbearance of his enemies. They had ah-eady determined on his < — / fall. Time was only wanting to reconcile the people to the difmif- ' fion of fo great a commander \ The total change in the fervants of the crown, onght not, intrigues of however, to be altogether afcribed to Harley. His maxim of ^'-Jof^"' ai^* government was evidently to trim between the parties. To gain the Tories, but not to lofe entirely the Whigs. But fuch was the inveteracy, which a long feries of animofities had created, on both fides, that neither would be content with any thing lefs than the whole power and influence of the flate. His own friends were^ upon the prefent occafion, likely to become Harley's greatcfl enemies. He had refolved to place St. John and Harcourt, in the offices they had formerly loft. To make the firft fecretary at war, and the lafl: attorney-general. But St. John infifted upon being made fecretary of flate, and Harcourt would be content with nothing lefs than the great feal. Harley, willing to retain the Whigs in thefe offices, refufed to comply. They threatened to retire to the country, and to leave him to the mercy of his ene- mies. Some leaders of the Tories interfered. They reprcfented to him, that his trimming conduit would deprive him of his befi friends. He yielded, iit length, to their defire. But he was fo much offended, efpecially with Harcourt, that though he raifed him to the place of chancellor, he never admitted him into the fecret of affairs \ He would probably have done tlie fame with St. John. But the latter underftood the French language, and was neceffary in the expeiled negociations of peace. But the people, now, were entirely on the other fide. The A general flame, which Sachevereirs trial had raifed, was kept up, with "^^"^ great addrefs. The clergy confidering his caufe their own, made the pulpits refound with his praife, while they thundered ven- ^ Publications of the Times. » Stuart-papers, 1714. Vol. IL O o o geance 466 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, geance agalnft his enemies. In a progrefs, which he m^ade to ^-— -v ' Wales, perhaps with a defign of continuing the ferment againft ' ' the Whigs, he was followed, every where, by the whole country, on horfeback. Mayors, maglflrates, whole corporations a\tendcd him, in their robes and formalities, in the towns through which he pafled. The populace met him on every road, with white knots in their hats, with fprigs of laurel gilt with gold, while the hedges, on either fide, were dreflcd with flowers. Though no defign of calling a new parliament was as yet made public, the reception given to Sacheverell was confidercd as a kind of prepa- ration for that event. The people being, at length, prepared for the meafure, the parliament was dlfTolved, on the twenty-firft of September. The elections were carried on every where with unufual violence and noife. The mob, encouraged by the new miniftry and the Tories, became outrageous in the cities and boroughs. The general cry was raifed fo efFedtually againft the Whigs, that they were excluded, wherever the votes depended either on the inclinations or caprice of the populace. A (Tu ranees of Though the iicvv miniftry derived their fuccefs, in a great aiitry, meafure, from the principles of the high-church party, in favour of the hereditary defcent of the crown, they refolved to reconcile the houfe of Hannover to their own elevation. The letters of their leaders to the eledioral family, form a curious inftance of the infincerity of the profeflions of party-men. The Earl of Ro- chefter, whofe principles in favour of the Stuarts were known, avowed, with vehemence, an inviolable attachment to the parlia- mentary fetllement of the crown. The Duke of Buckingham, who held an uninterrupted communication and correfpondence with the court of St. Germains and their agents, affirmed, with peculiar modefty, to the Eledlor, that he had been perfecuted by the Whigs, fur his attachment to the protcftant fucceffion *". The Duke of Leeds, who, in the debates concerning Sacheverell, had ■' EiK-k'ngham to the Eleftcr, Sept, ;, 1710. Hannover-papers, 7 ' almbft QJJ E E N A N N E. #> 'almoft in exprefs terms, called the Revolution a rebellion", and ^ '^ -^ ^• declared tliat he knew no right but an hereditary right, made the > >- ' warmeft profedions of regard to the interefts of the family of Brunfwick \ Hailey himfelf confidered as the head of the new miniftry, in adhering to the principles of prefbytery, in which he was bred, was, perhaps, more fincere, though not lefs fervilc, in the advances which he made to the prefumptive heirs of the crown. St. John, in a convenient abfence of attachment to both fides, followed, to avoid fingularity, the example of his aflbciates in office. The Duke of Shrewfbury, naturally timid and provident of the to tl^e houfe future, wrote '' to the Elecltor, with warm profeflions of zeal and attachment. He was at the time, through the means of his wife, m a£tual correfpondence with the court of St. Germains, and, from principle, a friend to the family of Stuart '. All allured his Electoral Highnefs, that the new miniilry were zealous for fup*- porting the grand alliance to its iitmoft extent; to profecute the war, to obtain an honourable peace, and to fecure efFe(ftually the lucceflion in the houfe of Hannover ^ They employed their creatures to confirm, to the Princefs Sophia, the aflurances which: they made to her fon. A Dodlor Hutton contained their argu- ments, in a feries of tedious letters of his own^. The Queen- herfelf, though her attachment to her brother was then fufpedled, and now is known, joined her fervants in aflurances of zeal for the proteftant fucceffion. To prevent evei-y inquietude in the eledloral family, (he appointed the Earl of Rivers, her ambaflador to the court of Hannover, to afllire them, that the changes which^ fhe hid made, would prejudice, in nothing, the ads paffed for fecuring the fUcceffion in the protefiant line\ 'Leeds to thcEledor, Nov. i, 1710. * Harrnover- papers, 1710; "^ Stnart- papcrs, pafllm. ' Hannover-papers, i-'jo, s ibid. ^ Ibid. Q Q z The %h HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C ft A P. The agents of'tlie new mlniftry had the addrefs, to render t - .,-' _■ their predccefl'ors fufpe<3:ed, by the eledoral family. The free 1 he'whi'es principles of government, which they had advanced in the debates spply to liut concernin<>- Sacheverell, had been induftriouily reprefented to the court of Hannover, as irrefragable proofs of their averiion to monarchy. The Whigs were alarmed at the credit given to their adverfaries, in a matter which muft hurt their own influence, with a family that was one day deftined to wear the crown. The Earl of Sunderland and the Lord Halifax were employed, by the party, to undeceive the Elector of Hannover. The avenues to the court'of that Prince were fo befet with the emiifaries of the Tories, that the two lords were obliged to write their thoughts in cypher. They endeavoured to explain, that they had been always for a parliamentary right to the crown. They difclaimed, with a degree of fcorn, all republican or antimonarchical prin- ciples. They affirmed, that the high maxims of the Tories, pre- pared the way for the Prince of Wales to mount the throne. That the Whigs oppofed thefe maxims, with arguments fuitable to republicanifm, merely to ferve the family of Hannover; whofe rights could not be fo well maintained, on any other ground'. Nov. 25. Dt;iiT>Jc; thefe fecret intrigues of the two parties, the new .Tienu^^'^'^ parliament affembled at Weflminfler. The Queen, coming to the houfe of peers, on the twenty-fifth of November, Sir Simon Harcourt, now lord-keeper of the great feal, fignified to the commons herMajefty's pleafure, that they fhould choofe a fpeaker. Their choice, as was expefted from their principles, fell on Wil- liam Bromley, a perfon remarkably attached to the high- church party. The Queen having fignified, in her fpeech, the refolution I'he had taken of profecuting the war with the utmoft vigour, cfpecially in Spain, demanded fuitable fupplies. To remove every jealoufy that might arife in the nation, fhe refolved, fhe * Hannover-papers, Nov. 14, 1710; faid, ..MIATQ^U E E N an N Er,T?>Ttt 4% fald, to let fortli plainly Iicr iatentioiis. She was dctcruiiiietj, (he ^ '' •'^ ''• allurt'd her parliament) to fupport and encourage the church of <——■ ^ England, to prefcrve the conftitution according to the Union, to ^ ' UKiintain the indulgence allowed by law to fcrupulous confciences ; and that to tranftnit efTedtually thefe benefits to poftcrity, Ihcyyas refolved to employ none but fuch as were h-eartily for the prote- ftant fucceffion in the houfe of Hannover ''. This popular fpcech was echoed back, as ufual, in the addrclles of the two houi'es of parliament. Men who formed their opinions upon fuch fallacious grounds, thought they perceived a degree of coldnefs in the ad- drefsof the lords. But that of the commons was warm, vcheT^ raent, and fultable to their principles, in favour of monarchy. Notwithstanding the fpecies of madnefs that had felzed P'-"ce<'^ing8. •^ Cjrear lup- the nation, and the utmofl: efforts made by the new miniftry in pi>es. favour of the Tories, more than one hundred reputed 'Whigs were returned to the houfe of commons. Few of thcfe were per- mitted to take their feats in tranquillity. Petitions were offered againft the mofl: of thofe who were fuppofed to favour the old miniftry ; and they complained, that their principles were more an objedt of examination, than the juflice of their caufe. In fuch a ftate of parties in the houfe, the deliberations of that aflemblv • muft have affumed the appearance of great unanimity. The />? Tories had fo effedually taken the ground of the Whigs, in their public profeffions, that the latter, had they even been more nume-!-^ reus,; could not, with any decent confiflency, oppofe the meafures of the miniftry. Though the Queen, in her fpcech, had infi--- nuated, that ihe was defuous of peace, her fervants fhcwed eveiy ,, attention to the vigorous profecution of the war. The commons voted, without hefitation, the fupplics. The debts provided for .* and the fums raifed in the courfe of this fcfTion, amounted to more than fourteen millions '. But the navy and other offices had been '' Journals, Nov. 27, 1710, * '4 Hift. d'Ang!9» terre, torn, iiv appro- I7I1. QJU E E N A N N E. 485 appropriation of the produce of fevere impous had deprived the ^ ^,,^ ^' people of every profped of relief from their prefent burdens. To prevent the increafe of thefe burdens was all that could now be expeifted. Men, therefore, in general, began to wifh finccrcly, that an honourable end might be put to the war. But though the miniflry were fufTiciently apprized of this difpofition in the nation, they were afraid of the violence of their political oppo- nents. They knew, that France, encouraged by the death of the Emperor, would recede from the terms offered to their prede- ceflbrs; and they were no ftrangers to the advantage which their enemies would derive from fuch a circumftance. They began, therefore, to feel the ground as they went, with great caution and addrefs. The Queen, in an extraordinary meffage, informed her parliament of the death of the Emperor, and of her own re- folution to make the election fall upon his brother, the King of Spain. She told, at the fame time, to the two houfes, that (he hoped to be foon in a condition to put a happy end to the war, by a. lafting and honourable peace ".- The intentions of the Queen were well underflood by her par- The allies liament. They promifed, therefore, to fupport her in all her ''^"'°'**^* meafures, for the reftoration of the public tranquillity. The news of the Emperor's death had not raifed the fame pacific difpofition in Holland. A refolution was formed, on, the contrary, to profe- eute the war, with flill greater vigour. The minifter of the late Emperor, thofe of Savoy, Portugal, and the German Princes were all eager for a continuance of hoftilities. The emoluments de- rived from the war, were greater than their expedations from peace. The generals and thofe who furniflied the troops, were equally interefted, upon this fubjedl. The firft were fwayed by glory, and, perhaps, the lefs dignified motive of advantage. The latter yielded to profit alone. The intercft of both was another. '' Joarnals, April 20, name 486 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C ^ A p. name for the common caufe. This was the great chain, whicli *— ^/ ' kept together the confederacy ; and not the prefervation of the ' balance or the hberties of Europe. The money of the maritime powers, and chiefly of England, more than the territories of the houfe of Bourbon, was the grand obje«ft of thofe petty tyrants, who fed on the blood of fubje£ls whom they let out for flaughter. Campaign of BuT though Great Britain had difcovered an inclination to- Fianders. wards a peace, the war was carried on with a degree of vigour, on every fide. The Duke of Marlborough, having left the Hague in the end of April, affembled his army near Douay, in the beginning of May. The projedt of the allies, on the fide of Flanders, was to open the campaign with the fiege of Arras and of Cambray. The taking of thofe two important places would have laid open Picardy to the banks of the Somme. The army deflined, at firft, for the fervice, might have been fufficient to accomplifh that great defign. But the death of the Emperor, while it haftened the approach of peace, obftrudled the operations of war. A well-grounded fear, that the French and the partifans of the Ele£lors of Bavaria and Cologn, might endeavour to dif- tuib the eledlion of a new Emperor, obliged the Prince of Savoy to march, with the greateft part of the German troops, to the banks of the Rhine. The Marefchal de Villars, ftrongly ported behind his lines at Arleux, difappointed all the efforts of Marlborough, for bringing things to the decilion of a battle. The Duke, on bad terms with the miniftry, forefaw that his own difgrace was near. He, therefore, wifhed earneftly, either to overwhelm his political enemies with the fplendour of a great vidory, or at leaf! to retire, under the flielter of an adlion of renown. The ftrong pofition of the French, the refolution of their general, not to abandon the fate of the kingdom to the event of a battle, deprived the Duke of the opportunity which he fo m.uch Q^U E E N A N N E. 487 C II A P. VIII. I7H, much defired. Having pofiefled himfelf of Arleux, a place con- fiderable only from its commanding the Scarpa. He was driven from thence by the enemy. BlU he fat down before Bouchain,in fight of the enemy; and took that important place, on the thir- teenth of September. The armies remained in the field, till the month of Odober ; when the Duke clofed, at once, his own mili- tary exploits and the campaign. Nothing important happened on the fide of Germany '. The in Germany, Duke of Berwick, without any effort of confequence, defended spain.' Dauphine and Provence againft the allies, commanded by General Thaun". In Spain, the taking of Gironne, by the Duke de NoailleSi formed almoft the whole operations of the prefent cam- paign. The Spaniards and Portuguefe hovered, throughout the fummer and autumn, without any adion, on the frontiers of Eftramadura ". A general languor prevailed, on every fide of the war. Both parties, fatigued with fruitlefs hoftilities, feemed willing to transfer their contefts from the field to the cabinet. As the death of one Prince of the houfe of Auflria had roufed all' Europe to arms, fo the demife of another was defiined to reftore it to peace. On the firft of Odober, Charles the Third, King of Spain, was chofen Emperor, by the unanimous confent of all the eledors. The wretched fituation of France prevented her from making the leaft effort againft the elevation of her greatefi: enemy. But, had fhe even had the power, fhe ought not to have the in- clination to fruftrate the eledlion. The Imperial crown feemed adually to exclude the new Emperor from that of Spain. The great motive of the war was removed, from all the confederates.-. It was not the intereft of the German Princes to place in the hands of their mafter, the power of oppreffing themfelves. It was not to be fuppofed, that either Britain or the States, after ' Hift. d'Allemagne, torn. vii. ■" Hill, de France, torn. iii. " Hill, de Portugal, torn. ii. having 483 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A P. having expended their blood and treafure, in breaking the power > . ' of one family, would raife that of another on its ruins. 171 1. Naval afFairs. The operations by fea were lefs important, if polTible, than thofe by land °. The combined fleet of the maritime powers was, as ufual, numerous, inadive, and expenfive. The extraordinary charge of the navy of Great Britain, during the war, had amount- ed to twenty millions fl:erHng. Little advantage was derived from this expence, except the reputation of commandhig the feas. But the glory of a nation, it muft be confeffed, can never be purchafed at too high a price. An expedition, intended againft Quebec and Canada, failed, becaufe the navigation of the river St. Lawrence was then unknown. The fquadron employed in that fervice, ■was perfecuted throughout by misfortunes. They loft ten tranf- ports on the coaft of America ; and the admiral's fhip was blown up, by accident, at St. Helen's upon their return, with four hun- dred feamen on board ^ The fleet in the Mediterranean was employed in the ufual fervice of tranfporting fuccours to Spain» They conveyed the German forces and ammunition from Vada to Barcelona, and enabled Charles the Third to retain a kind of footing in Catalonia. Condition The lauguor With which the war was carried on by the con- and views or ^ . r r xt the houfe of federates, feemed to mdicate a dilpofition towards peace. No ""' °"' open advances were, however, made by either fide, for eftablifli- ing conferences to refl;ore the public tranquillity. France had derived nothing but an increafe of demands from all the propofals they had hitherto laid before the allies. The death of the Em- peror Jofeph, an event of the utmoft importance to the houfe of Bourbon, had induced the court of Verfailles to remain on the de- fenfive during the campaign, and to truft their fate to the favour- able circumftances which might arife in the courfe of time. f Naval Hiftory. » Gazette. I Though QJJ E E N A N N E. ^^() CHAP. VUI. i;:,! I. Though the barrier had been broken, in a great meafure, in Flan- ders, they found that the progrefs of the enemy could be ftill checked by a judicious pofition of their army, behind their lines. In Spain, the averfion of the people to the houfe of Auftria, and their confeqnent afFe£lion for Philip the Fifth, had raifed a do- meftic force fufficient to check, if not to difappoint all the efforts of the allies. The nation, in an uninterrupted feries of hoftilities for ten years, had caught a martial fire from their very misfor- tunes. The very poverty, to which they had been reduced by their own exertions and the depredations of the enemy, had ren- dered them more indifferent about terms of peace, as they had no- thing to Jofe by the wan Though the miniftry of Great Britain had provided ample an ~^ particular defjre, to remain a profound fecret, not to be revealed but by the mutual confcnt of the contrading parties. Three other conditions, of a more general nature, were prefixed, as abfolutely efTenttal to the conclufion of peace. A fecurity, that the crowns of France and Spain fhould never be united on the fame head. That fatisfadion fhould be given to all the allies in their juft demands. That conimerce fhould be thoroughly re-eftablilhcd and permanently maintained ". The pow^ers granted to Prior were extremely confined. He Mcnagerfent Was only to communicate thefe preliminary demands to the Fiench tondoV '" miniflry, and to bring back their anfwer. He infifled, therefore, on a pofitive anfwer, in- writing, containing an abfolute confent or a downright refufal. To grant either, was deemed equally dangerous, by France. A confent would ruin the trade of that kingdom. A refufal might break off the negociation, and involve the houfe of Bourbon in all the miferies of a war which had already been unfortunate, beyond the example of former times. To avoid thofe inconveniences, the French King propofed to transfer the negociations to London. He informed Prior, that fince he was not fufhciently authorized to treat in France, he in- tended, on his own part, to fend a perfon, thoroughly ini^ruded, to Great Britain, to treat diredlly with the miniftry, under the immediate infpedion of the Sovereign. Menager, deputy from the city of Rouen, was the perfon to whofe prudence and know-- ledge the court of France refolved to trufl this important bufinefs. The terms which Menager was inftruded to grant, were to be confined, with regard to the Empire, to a bare renewal of the- treaty of Rifwick. But the French King demanded, as an efTen- tial condition, the reftoration of the Eledlors of Cologn and Bavaria " Report of the fecret committee. to 494 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, to their dominions, honours, and dignities. He pretended, for himfelf, to the rcftitution of Lifle, Tournay, Aire, Bethune, and 1711, Douay dlli^beromeV The journcy of Prior, as well as itst)bje£t, remained a fecret public, from the pubhc till he returned to England, accompanied by Menager, in the firfl; week of Auguft. Having landed, from a fmall veflel at Deal, he was detained by the cuftom- houfc officers, till he was releafed by orders from London. One Mackay was the perfon, whofe intemperate vigilance made this unfeafonable difcovery. This bufy man, having impofed him- felf upon King William, as a fpy upon the court of St. Ger- tnains, had been gratified with a commiffion to diredl the packet- boats at Dover. In gratitude for what he had received, and, -perhaps, in expedation of more, he held a conftant correfpondence •with the fecretary of Hate's office, mixing a great deal of conjec- ture wich a fmall portion of intelligence. When Prior pafled clandeftinely from Dover to Calais, Mackay wrote to Mr. Secretary St. John, that an EngliQi gentleman had taken his paffage to France. St. John, to conceal the affair from the public, defired Mackay to keep the thing a fecret, and to watch the man's return. % accident, These inflrudions Were better followed by Mackay than St. Joha intended. That officious fervant employed all hie people, be- tween the Forelands, to watch the return of Prior. He at length had advice that a veflel had landed at Deal, three perfons with Secretary St. John's pafs. He made hafte to Canterbury, and met there his old acquaintance, Matthew Prior, under a feigned name. Mackay difpatched immediately an exprefs to the Duke of Marl- borough, then befieglng Bouchaia, with this important intelli- gence. Fie informed alfo the Earl of Sunderland of what he had heard and feen ; and that nobleman communicated to the Impe- " J3!e Torcy, torn. ii. jial QJJ E E N A N N E. 495 rial and Dutch ambafHidors, his fixed opinion, that negociations ^ ^^ ^ P* of peace were begun. Marlborough fent a copy of Mackay's v . — ~# letter to Secretary St. John. The informer was difinifTed from office. But the mifchief was already done. The Imperial mi- nifter expoflulated with the miniftry, concerning the fecret nego- ciations which were fufpefted to fubfift between Great Britain and France. He was told, by way of anfwer, that he had no reafon to be alarmed. That the Queen was refolved never to hearken to any terms of peace that might derogate from her engagements with her allies. The intercourfe between the two courts being no longer a fecret, the fubflance of the projeded treaty of peace was carried to the prefs by the oppofing party, and eagerly defended by the friends of the miniftry. The famous Dr. Jonathan Swift employed his abilities in favour of the mea- flires of the crown. Prior was not an indifferent fpedator of a conteft, in which he himfelf was perfonally concerned *. Obvious arguments were introduced, with a vehemence and it isdefended- rhetoric that made a great impreffion on the minds of a people JftL^ "^^' already labouring under the heavy burdens of an unprofitable war. They affirmed, that the death of the Emperor had changed the whole face of affairs. That the dangers which the war was in- tended to prevent, were now likely to arife from its fuccefs. That a Prince of the houfe of Auftria fucceeding to the Empire and the hereditary dominions of his family, and poffeffmg already the Spanifh territories in Italy, would be a more formidable King of Spain, than any Prince of the houfe of Bourbon, when excluded from the fucceffion of France. That the balance of power in ; Europe would be effedually deftroyed by fuch a meafure. That the only thing to be expeded, from a peace that fhould place Charles the Third on the Spanifh throne, would be a renewal of hoftilities. That to reftore the balance which fuch a meafure » Publications of the Times. muft' 496 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. lYiuft inevitably deftroy, the whole fabric, built at the expencc of fo much treafure and blood, muft be deftroyed by the fame hands by which it was raifcd. To reconcile the nation to the ceflion -of Spain to the houfe of Bourbon, they affirmed, that the depen- dence of Philip the Fifth on French counfels, would certainly ccafe at the death of his grandfather, an event not far diftant, confidering the great age of that ?Prince ; and they clofed their arguments with obferving, that the total c^ffion of the Spanifli monarchy to the houfe of Auftria, was now a thing impradicable, as that monarchy was adually difmembered, by the ceflions made to the Duke of Savoy, and the conquefts of the Britifh and Dutch .nations *". tion ^^circau- THOUGH political timidity formed none of the faults of the ■Earl of Oxford, he obferved a degree of caution in treating with Menager. He entered, with great freedom and an apparent zeal, into conferences with the French minifter. But he, as well as other plenipotentiaries named by the Queen, declined to become an ofteniible party in the treaty. The fpecial preliminaries in fubftance the fame that had been offered through Mr. Prior, by the court of Great Britain, were iigned by Menager, on the twenty-feventh of September. They were, however, accepted and Iigned only by the Earl of Dartmouth and Mr. St, John, by virtue of a warrant granted for that purpofe by the Queen. U was alfo cbfervable, that neither the warrant nor any one paper in the whole tranfadlion, was counterfigned-by any of the Queen's fervants. The miniftry knew that they were watched by their enemies on an occaiion fo critical ; and they refolved to prevent the very fear of danger, iliculd the negcciatlon prove abortive, and they themfelves lofe their power. But though the fervants of the crown obferved fuch caution in the negociation, they feemed determined to fupport the preliminary articles. On the ninth of r Political Pamphiet-s 1711. Odobar, QJ] E E N A N N E. 497 October, a copy was delivered to the Imperial ambaflador, Count ^ ^^ ^ ''• 1711. Galas. That minifter, with a precipitation more fuitable to his »- zeal for his mailer than to common prudence, publifhed the ar- ticles in a news-paper, with a view of appealing from the govern- ment to the people ^. The publication of the preliminary articles changed, in fome T'^'ey refoive .... . to proceed. meafure, the current of public opinion, which had hitherto run favourably for the minifter. Though the people in general wifhed for peace, they expeded very fplendid conditions, after fuch uncommon fuccefles in the war. The ufual jealoufy of the populace was inflamed, by the arts of the excluded party. The preliminaries were called captious, infidious, and infufficient, the peace to be expelled from them unfafe and difhonourable. But neither Oxford nor his aflbciates were now to be intimidated, from the profecution of their pacific defigns. To teftify at once to the world their refolution to adhere to the preliminaries offered by France, they ordered the Imperial minifter to come no more to court, and to make preparations for quitting the kingdom. The precipitate vehemence of that minifter rendered, in fome meafure, neceflary a proceeding which was as unufual as it was fevere. He fpoke in open and high terms againft the meafures of the miniftry. He held clandeftine and nightly meetings with their political enemies ; and thus by joining intrigues to infolence, rendered himfelf extremely obnoxious to the Queen as well as to her fervants *. The preparations which the miniftry had made to extricate The Earl of themfelves from the war upon any decent terms, were neither lately to theHague! begun nor purfued without prudence. They had fent the Abbe Gaultier to France in the beginning of the year j they removed ^ Publications of the Times, paffim. Burnet, vol. iv. » Ibid. Hift. d'Angkterre. Vol. II. S f f the 49^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, tije Vifcount Townfhcnd, on whofe attachment to ihemfclves they ^..^ — ^— J could not much depend, from the office of ambaffador to the '■^"* States-general. The Lord Raby, who had for fcveral years fcrvcd in the like capacity, at the court of PrufTia, fucceedcd Townfhend, in the month of March. This nobleman's chief recommendation to fuch a diftinguiflied office, was his high Tory principles, and. his known averfion to the interefts of the Duke of Marl- borough. His parts were feeble and uncomprehenfive. No know- ledge of books, no jufl obfervations on mankind, enlightened a mind which nature had left confufed and obfcure\ His mofl: fplendid virtue was perfonal courage, which he difplayed upon various occafions, before he quitted the field for the bufinefs of the cabinet. But his attachment to his party was more to be con- fidered, than his abilities in difcharging the duties of the office to which h€ was raifed. Having been created Earl of Strafford, in the beginning of September, he was ordered by the Queen to repair to Holland, to lay before the States, the preliminaries which fhe had accepted from the court of France. Strafford having arrived at the Hague, communicated to the penfionary Heinfius, the preliminary articles fettled between Great Britain and France. The States having had feveral fecret conferences, declared to the Britifh ambaffador, that they found the articles fo general and obfcure, that they were afraid they were ill-calculated; for ferving as a foundation to a formal treaty. That, for this reafon, their High- Mightineffes had appointed M. Buys their envoy extraordinary, to er^plain to the Queen of Great Britain their fentiments and their fears upon that fubje£t. Buys accord- ingly arrived in London, on the eighteenth of Odober. But neither the reprefentation of the States, nor the vehemence and intrigues of their envoy, were capable to change, or even to (hake the refolution formed by the Queen. She ordered her ambaffador. •> Hannover-papers, Swift's Notes on Mackay, MSr , to OJJ E E N A N N E, ^g<^ to prefs the States to determine on a proper place for holding the ^ ^^ ^ P« congrefs. She required, at the fame time, that paflports fliould s_ -. ^ be fent immediately to the plenipotentiaries of France; and fhe ''^"' referred Buys, upon the whole, to the orders already tranfmitted to the Earl of Strafford, at the Hague \ Tnisfirmnefs of the Queen and her fervants may, in fome mea- Tntrigues of fure, be afcribed to the infolence and imprudence of the Dutch Duu'h envoy, minifter himfelf. He hoped to kindle fuch a flame againft the pacific intentions of the court, as might terrify them into a con- tinuance of the war. He fcarce obferved common decency in his declamations againft the Queen and her miniflers. He repre- fented them as traitors to their country, as enemies to the confe- derates, and penfioners of France. He invited all malecontents, whether Britifli or foreigners, to his table. He ufed all the means which either paffion or malevolence could fuggeft, to ruin the fervants of the crown in the opinions of the nation. His chief and moft intimate connexion was with the Baron de Bothmar, the envoy of the Eledor of Hannover. That minifter having paffed from Holland to London in company with the Duke of Marl- borough, entered into all the fchemes of Buys. To increafe the rifing clamour of the people, he prefented a ftrong memorial againft the preliminaries in the name of his mafter''. This paper, probably penned, or at leaft fuggefted by the Whigs themfelves, gave great fatisfadion to that party. But it was extremely im- politic ; as it might contribute to throw the miniftry in the fcale of the Pretender. The Eledor himfelf, in a letter to the Earl of Oxford, ex- TTieEieaor preffed his higheft difapprobation of the projedcd peace. He oppofeTthc*^ affirmed, that the fruits of a glorious war would be loft, fhould psa«=«« Spain and the Indies be abandoned to the Duke of Anjou. That • Hift. d'Anglcterre, M. de Torcy, torn. ii. ^ Printed Memorial. S f f 2 France «7ii. 500 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^i^f ^' France would foon give laws to Europe, and fruftrate all the wife meafures taken by the Queen, to fceure a permanent and folid profperity for her people '. He, therefore, conjured his lord-- fhip to ufe all his credit to prevent fuch a misfortune. The Em- peror, who hoped to gain moft by the war, fhewed the greateft vehemence againft the peace. He fent letters to all the circles of Germany, requefting and requiring all the Princes to adhere to his caufe. He wrote in ftrong terms to Queen Anne herfelf. The folicitations of foreign powers were aided, with all their ad- drefs, by the Whigs at home. In imitation of the famous Earl of Shaftefbury, they prepared to inflame the people, with an expen- five pope-burning, on the feventeenth of November. But the miniftry were neither to be intimidated nor fwayed from their purpofe. The States, perceiving their obftinacy, yielded to a current which they could no longer oppofe. Buys produced at length paflports, in their name, to the plenipotentiaries of France. Utrecht was appointed for holding the congrefs, which was to be opened on the twelfth of January ^ Secret and BuT though the States, in their public condud, affeded to defigns yield to the inclinatious of the Britifh court, they were forming fecret meafures, that feemed to threaten a fecond revolution in th® government of the kingdom. Under the fuppofition, that the Queen was refolved not to furnifh her ufual proportion of the force employed in Flanders, the Dutch, in concert with the Emperor, intended to feize the Britifh troops in- the Netherlands. France, informed of this defign, communicated the intelligence to Queen Anne. But her fervants were already apprized of all the clan- deftine machinations of their enemies. They knew that the whole behaviour of the Count de Galas, and his fiay in Britainj after he had been excluded from the privilege of appearing at court, were founded on a confpiracy formed at London. < Eleftor to Oxford, Nov 7, 1711, Hannover^papers. ^ Publications of the Times. 6 The 171 i. Qjy E E N A N N E. 501 The real motive of his delay was to fee the refult of the mobifli ^ ^ -^ ^^ proceffion, for burning the Pope, the Devil, and the Pretender, which the Whigs intended to render fubfervient to the exciting an infurredtion. The fiiccefs of the projed being uncertain. Galas, by the advice of the Earl of Sunderland, wrote for Prince Eugene, as the lafl: refort. Under pretence of paying their re- fpedts to that diftinguiflied general, the party were to condudl him to London, with two thoufand horfe. His public entry was to have been on the day of the burning of the Pope and his aflbciates. It was from their being apprized of this circumftance, that the miniftry feized the figures, deftined to be carried by the populace in the intended proceffion". During thofe fecret machinations, the Earl of Sunderland of the Whigs and the lord Halifax, the moft adive of the leaders of the federates. malecontents, endeavoured to engage the people, in their own caufe. I hey boldly affirmed, that the chief view of the prefent adminiftration, was to reftore the Pretender. The Queen they faid, was already betrayed. The nation were ready to be alfo deceived. There was a neceffity, they averred, for fending for the Eledtor or his fon. Otherwife, the proteftant fucceffion, they faid, was in imminent danger. The Queen was in a declining ftate of health. She was kept alive, they affirmed, by art, by cordials and ftrong medicines, prefcribed by her phyficians. Anne herfelf was no ftranger to thefe confpiracies formed by her fub- jeds. She knew the countenance given by the allies, to the de?- ijgns of the malecontents in her kingdom. Her eagernefs for peace increafed in proportion to her fears. The French king was not infenfible of the difficultyof her fituation* But, as there-efta- blifliment ot peace had long employed all his wifhes and thoughts, he complied with all her demands. Her fervants were equally eager with herfelf, for an immediate reftoration of the public » M. de Torcy, torn. ii. Stuart-papers. tranquillity. 502 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP tranquillity. A time of fufpenfe was to them a period of dan- ger. Their domeflic enemies were on the watch for their errors ; and the confederates were prepared to fupport the Whigs v/ith vigour \ 1711. ^m"'^'^-'"^'' When his party were forming fchemes to fupport his power, xates ^ the Duke of Marlhorough yielded to that political defpon- dence to which he was frequently fubje£t. Difappointed in his views at home, he began, according to cuftom, to turn his eyes toward the court of St. Germains. He admitted their agents to his privacy and converfation. He fignitied his unalterable at- tachment to the Pretender, and his zeal to obtain her dowry for the exiled Queen. He regretted that he was not likely to be employed in concluding the peace, as he might have done, in that cafe, elTential fervice to the old caufe. He affured them» that he confidered the payment of the dowry, as a great point toward the re-eftablifhment of the excluded line. " The eyes of the people,'* he faid, " will be gradually opened. They will fee their intereft in reftoring their King," for fo he called the pretended Prince of Wales. His caufe, he affirmed, had gained fo much ground o£ late years, that he folemnly fwore, it could not but come to a happy iffue. Both fides, he averred, would find themfelves obliged to have recourfe to the excluded Prince, for folid peace and internal happinefs : "Not from any true principles ofconfcience or ho- nefty," the Duke was pleafed to fay ; " for I do not believe that either party is fwayed by any of thefe '." his vehement The Duke defcendcd from thefe obfervations to articles of in- oiiWs formation and advice. " The French King and his minifters," he faid, " will facrifice every thing to their own views of peace. The Earl of Oxford and his affociates in office to take, as ufual, the ground of their adverfaries, will probably infill upon the •^ De Torcy, torn, U, Stuart papers, i/ii, * Stuart-paperj, Nov. 3, 171 1. King's King's redring to Italy. But he muft nevcf confent. He mufl: ^ ^ j' ^^ J- 17U. Q^TT E E N A N N E. 503 ) Italy. But he muft nevcf confent. He muft ' yield neither to the French King, nor to the falLicious infmuations *■ of the Britifli miniftry, in a point which muft inevitably ruin his caufe. To retire to Italy,'' the Duke fwore, " by the living God, is the fame thing as to ftab him to the heart. Let him take refuge in Germany, in fome country on this fide of the Alps. He wants no fecurity for his perfon. None will touch a hair of his head. I perceive fuch a change in his favour, that I think it im- poffiblc but he muft fucceed. But when he fhall fucceed, let there be no retrofpedt toward the paft. All that has been done fmce the Revolution muft be confirmed. His bufinefs is to gain all by offending none. As for myfelf, I take God to witnefs, that what I have done, for many years, was neither from fpleen to the ROYAL FAMILY, Hor iU-wiU to their caufe; but to humble the power of France; a fervice as ufeful to the King, as it is be- neficial to his kingdom.'* "Peace," he faid, "muft certainly happen. The people Lis advice to ftand in need of tranquillity on both fides. The current of the der. ^"'^°' nation now feconds the views of the minifter. But peace and all that has been done, favours the caufe of the King. God, who rules above, feems vifibly to difpofe all for the beft. But neither Whigs nor Tories can ever be depended upon, as parties. Their profeftions are always different. Their views precifely the fame. They both grafp at the poffeflion of power. The Prince who gives them the moft is their greateft favourite. As for me, I have been treated unworthily. But God has bleffed me with a great deal of temper and forbearance of mind. I have taken my refo- lution to be quiet. I have determined to wait my time. But if Harley will pufh me further, he fhall know of what metal I am made* As for the King's affairs, occafion is only wanting to my zeal. God Almighty has placed matters in fuch a train, that he muft ai any rate fucceed. I know perfectly his fifter's difpofition of mind. 17* I. J04 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, nilnd. She is a very honest person, eafily won, and without difficulty fwayed. She is extremely cautious, as fhe is to the laft degree fubjed to fear. At bottom fhe has no averfion to her brother's intereft. But fhe is one that mufl -not be frightened. An external force would terrify her, and alienate the minds of the nation. Leave us, therefore, to ourfelves, and all your hopes will be crowned with fuccefs '.'* He arrives in A FEv/ days after the Duke of Marlborough had made thefe Afiair of the Vehement afTurances to the Pretender, he embarked for England, Scotidi me- accompanied by the Baron de Bothmar, the minifter of the Elec- tor of Elannover. He had undertaken, in the fame warm man- ner, to fupport the interefl of his Highnefs; and fcarce any doubt can be formed of his being infb-umental in perfuading Bothmar to prefent the memorial which made fo much noife in the king- dom. The infinuations of the Whigs had made an impreffion on the minds of the electoral family, which all the afTeverations and fervile profefTions of the Tories were not capable to remove ". The compliments of the Earl of Oxford and his alTociates, were lofl on a court, who formed their opinions of the principles of the fervantsof the crown, upon thofe of the party to whofe influence they owed their power. An incident, which happened in the courfe of the fummer, in Scotland, contributed to increafe the jealoufy of the prefumptive heirs of the crown. The majority pf the Scots being perfuaded, that the union of the kingdoms had been accompliflied by bribery and corruption, had retained their averfion to that treaty in all its original force. The change of the miniflry, the admiflion of feveral known Jacobites into office, and into both houfes of parliament, had added the hopes of more important alterations, to the ill humours of the difcontented. The adherents of the excluded family fondly imagined, that the time was now arrived for avowing their own principles, and for ' Stuart-papers, 1711. '' Hannover-papers, 17 11, founding QJJ E E N A N N E, 505 founding the Inclinations of government, with regard to their ^ ^ ^ P- caufe. v_ — ,~ ^ 17.1. In this difpofition of the minds of the Jacobites, even a trivial Seditious incident was likely to be feized with eagcrncfs. The Duchefs of advocates. Gordon, a Roman-catholic, fent a medal to Mr. Robert Bennet, dean of the faculty of advocates, in Edinburgh. This piece of filver, which had been diftributed in Flanders, in the preceding year, among the officers of the Britifh army, by one Booth, a page of the Pretender, had, on the one fide, the profile of a head, crowned with laurel ; and, on the reverfe, a kind of map of the Britifli ifles. A legend furrounded the whole infinuating, that the kingdom fhould be reftored to the owner. The Dean having prefented the medal at a meeting of the members, on the thirtieth of June, they voted, fixty-three againft twelve, that their hearty thanks fhould be returned to the Dutchefs, for her very valuable prefent. Dundas of Arnifton, who had diftinguifhed himfelf in the debate upon that fubjed, was appointed, together with Horn of Wefthall, to prefent the thanks of the faculty. The words ufcd by Dundas upon the occafion, were to the laft degree feditious and bold. " We thank your Grace," he faid, " for a medal of our fove- reign lord the King. We flatter ourfclves, that your Grace will foon have an opportunity of prefenting to the faculty of advocates, a fecond medal, ftruck upon the refloration of our lawful King and the royal family, and for the finifhing of rebellion, the ufurpation of the crown, and the tyranny of whiggery '.' 1 » Dundas, whofe principles of Jacobitifm overcame his pru- Sufpidoas dence, carried to the prefs a vindication of himfelf, more violent ''^""^ °^^°' ^ vernment. and feditious, if poffible, than the expreffions ufed in the fpeech, which he made to the Duchefs of Gordon. The copy, however, having been carried to the provoft of Edinburgh, was fuppreffed, ' Publications of the Times. Vol. II. T t t before IT"- 50^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ viH ^ before it was printed. The faculty of advocates, perceiving that their zeal had carried them too far, made a public recantation of the error, as they called it, committed by fome of their members. The affair of the medal, however, made a great noifc. The Whigs complained vehemently of the Tories. The alarm fpread to the court of Hannover. The Baron de Kreyenberg, the Elec- tor's refident in London, laid, by the exprefs orders of his mafter, a memorial before the Queen, containing prefTmg in- ftances for the profecution of the offenders. The miniftry granted, his requefl, in a manner that rendered them more fufpedted. They removed from the office of Queen's advocate, Sir David Dalrymple, whofe principles, when they oppofed not his own in- tereft, were inclined to the Proteltant fucceffion, under a pre- tence of his being remifs in the profecution of the medalifts. But notwithftanding this appearance of feverity againft the negli- gence of Dalrymple, his fuccefTor in office was fcarce lefs remifs. The whole affair was gradually dropt by the government of Bri- tain. But the jealoufy of the court of Hannover continued "". meets. Parliament The parliament, which had been from time to time prorogued> was fuffered by the Queen to meet, on the feventh of De- cember. The miniftry having refolved to carry their great objeft the peace, were willing to have fome account of the progrefs of that important meafure to lay before the two houfes, when they fhould firft affemble. The fpeech with which the Queen opened the feffion, was more fuitable to the known defigti of her fervants, than in itfelf fmcere. She told her parliament that notwithftanding the arts of thofe that delight in war, both place and time were appointed for opening the treaty of a general peace. That her allies, efpecially the States, had expreffed their intire confidence in her condud. That her own chief concern was to perpetuate the Proteftant religion and the laws and liber- •" Publications of the Times, paffira. Hannover-papers, ties 17". (T_U E E N A N N E. 507 ties of the nation, by fccuring the fucceffioa of the crown in the ^ ^lu ^' houfe of Hannover. That {he was refolved to improve and enlarge their intereft in trade and commerce, by the advantages to be obtained by the peace. That fhe would not only endeavour to procure all reafonable fatisfadtion to her allies, but unite them in the flridefl; engagements to render permanent the public tranquillity. That the beft way to treat, with effedl, about a peace, was to make an early provifion for carrying on the war. She, therefore, demanded the ufual fupplies ; and concluded with earneftly recommending that unanimity which was neceflary to the difcuffion of a bufinefs of the laft importance to all Europe, as well as to themfelves ". The foreign and domcftic enemies of the miniftry, defpairing Intrigues of ? . . ' thealliw.and to gain a majority of the commons, had applied themfelves to the Whigs. lords. Buys, the Dutch ambaffador, had extended his intrigues, with fuccefs, to feveral members °. The Duke of Marlborough fuffered his love of money to yield to his hatred to Oxford, and his apprehenfions from his meafures. He was faid to have bribed eight of the Queen's fervants, in the upper houfe ^ The mi- miftry were no ftrangers to thefe fecret intrigues, and their threats increafed in proportion to their anxiety and fear. They talked of nothing but the beheading of the corruptor, fhould the corruption itfelf be fufficiently proved. France became afraid of the eager- nefs of the court of Great Britain, left her own hopes of peace fhould be baffled in the concufTion of the two parties. The court of Verfailles were, at the fame time, no ftrangers to the fecret views of the allies, with regard to the meafures of the Britifh miniftry. They knew that the States, notwithftanding their late acquiefcence in the propofal of appointing a time and place for a congrefs for a treaty of peace, were willing to come to extremi- " Journals, Dec. 7, ijii. ° M. de Torcy, torn. ii. ' Ibid. T t t 2 ties. 5o8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, ties, with a view to continue the war. They were ready to ufe VIII. . ^ ' \— "^r— _/ more efFedual means than reprefentations with the Queen of '^"' Great Britain. They were at no pains to conceal, that they in- tended to fit out a fleet to affift the Eledor of Hannover to ftrike the fcepter from her hand. The common converfation in Hol- land turned upon the defign of the States, to treat Queen Anne as they had treated her father ; and to exhibit another fcene, as that in the year 1688; but probably more bloody, and perhaps more decifive ''. The lords The difpofition of a majority of the peers was well known,. peace. before the feffion was opened. The Queen, either to awe or so- gain fome members of the oppofition, with her prefence, dif- robing herfclf, in an adjacent room, returned to hear the debates in the houfe of lords. 7 he Whigs had ufed every meafure that pru- dence could fuggeft, to ftrengthen themfelves, by weakening their enemies. They had the addrefs to gain the Earl of Nottingham, and fome other lords, equally attached to the principles of the high-church, to aid their party in oppofing the projeded peace. When a motion was made, and feconded, for an addrefs of thanks to the Queen, Nottingham endeavoured, in a long and laboured fpeech, to fhew the infufEciency of the terms of the late prelimi- naries. He concluded with offering a claufe, to be inferted in the addrefs, that no peace could be fafe or honourable, fhould Spain and the Indies be continued to any branch of the houfe of Bourbon. The miniftry oppofed, with the whole weight of government, a motion calculated to break all their meafures. But neither their arguments nor their influence could prevail. Several lords in oflice, as had been apprehended, joined the oppofing party. The previous queftion, on Nottingham's claufe, was carried by his own cafting vote. The adherents of the Earl of Oxford oppofed the main queftion with ftill worfe fuccefs. The 1 M, de Torcy, torn. ii. Stuart-papers, 171 2. addrefs, Q^U E E N A N N E. 509 addrefs, with the addition, was carried, by a majority of fix ^ ^.^ ^• voices'; and, on the eleventh of December, it was prefented to *— — v— '. the Queen. Her anfwer was ambiguous, and more fuitable to the charader of the minifler than to her own. She fliould be forry, fhe faid, that any one could fufpedl that fhe would not do her utmofl: to recover Spain and the Indies from the houfe of Bourbon '. To obtain this vidory over the miniflry, the "Whig-s facrificed, Billofocca- . . . . ''onal confor- in one inftance, their own principles. Thedifguft of Nottingham, mity paffed, for not having been comprehended in the changes made in the preceding year, together with a late difappointmcnt in his views on the privy-feal, had thrown him into oppofition againft the court. He, however, made his terms with the Whigs, before he confentcd to efpoufe their caufc. The bill of occafional con- formity had been always the darling object: of this Earl. Having thrice mifcarried, it had lain dormant for feven years. The leaders of the Whig-party had agreed to concur with Nottingham in his favourite bill, fhould it be brought in by another title, to fave appearances with the world. The bill was accordingly pafled, with^ out difficulty, by the lords. The known principles of the com- mons prevented all oppofition, in the lower houfe, to a law fo favourable to the church. The Diflenters, throughout the kingdom, were alarmed. They applied in vain to parliament. They prefented a petition, to no purpofe, to the Earl of Oxford. Though his lordfhip and his family had joined almofl: uniformly in communion with the Prefljyterians, he facrificed, upon the prefent occafion, his religious profeffions to his political views. The inconfiftency of the Whigs was highly blamed by the moft fincere of their own party. They affirmed, that to ferve their own views upon power, they made no fcruple of deferting their principles. To recommend themfelves to the prefumptive heirs ' 61 againft 55^ ' Journals of the lords. of 510 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, of the crown, they had repealed all the limitations laid upon the t_, ^, ■ ' _^ royal prerogative, by the ad of fettlement. To carry a queftion, ''"'■ in the houfe of lords, they made a facrifice of the Dilfenters, whofe religious and political opinions had been their own chief fupport with the nation ". The Duke of While the Whigs departed from their principles, to render patent themfelves more capable of harafTing the miniftry, they found a frefh opportunity of triumphing over the court-party. The Duke of Hamilton, one of the fixteen peers for Scotland, having been created- a Peer of Great Britain, by the title of Duke of Brandon, claimed his place in that quality in the houfe of lords. His former attachment to the excluded family had rendered Hamilton obnoxious to the Whigs. His defertiou of the Jaco- bites, at the Union of the two kingdoms, was not calculated to recommend him to the Tories. The court, however, were obliged to fupport a queftion, which feemed to llrike at the pre- rogative of the crown. Lawyers were heard upon the patent '''. The right of the Queen to grant honours was admitted by all. None doubted that all the fubjedts of the united kingdoms were capable of being created peers. It feemed, therefore, extremely hard, that the nobility of Scotland fhould be debarred from a privilege, to which the reft of the natives of that part of the king- dom had an undoubted title. But it was urged, on the other fide, that the prerogative of the Crown could not operate againft an adl of parliament. That the treaty of Union had made all the peers of Scotland peers of Great Britain, in every refpedt, except in voting in the houfe of lords, or fitting in judgment on a peer. That having transferred their right of voting to fixteen of their own number, they had all the portion of the legillature they had a right to polTefs ; and that their being received into the houfe in any other way than by eledion, was to give them the " Tublications of the times. * Journals of the lords, Dec. 20, 171 1. double Q^n E E N A N N E. 51 ' H A VIII. double privilege of being prefent, at once, in their own perfons, CHAP, and in thofe of their reprefentatives v_ 1711. The Scotifh peers had furrendercd their own privileges in a rejefled by . . T 1 r '''^ lords. manner that feemed to entitle them to no indulgence. But theie conclufions were neither convincing nor decifive. The appre- henfions expreffed by fome lords, in the courfe of the debate, were better founded than their arguments. They faid, that con- Hdering the dignity and antiquity of the peers of Scotland, toge- ther with the known poverty of many of that order, the minifter would have no difficulty of fecuring a majority in the houfe of lords, by calling them to that affembly by the means of new patents. Anne herfelf was prefent at a debate which feemed to abridge her prerogative. Though the whole influence of the court was exerted, when the matter came to a final vote, the oppofition carried the queftion \ The Queen and the miniftry were much difappointed. The Scotifh peers were enraged. They met together and framed an addrefs to the throne. They com- plained of a breach of the Union, and of the mark of difgrace put upon their whole order. They promifcd to fupport the preroga- tive of the crown, whether they fhould continue united to Eng- land, or revert to their original ftate. The Queen anfwered them in a ftrain that fhewed her difpleafure at the decifion of the lords. She fent a meflage to the houfe, complaining of the diftindion made with regard to the peers of Scotland. She demanded their advice, in vain, concerning an affair, which, at once, touched the prerogative of the crown and the privilege of a part of her fubjeds ^. During thefe refradory proceedings of the lords, the com- proceedings mons fupported, with great unanimity, the meafures of the °J^on^ ^°"'^' crown. They ecchoed back the Queen's fpeech, with a very * Burnet, vol. iv. y 57 againft 52. ^ Journals. 3 favourable mons. 512 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ vin ''* ^^^'O"''^^'^ addrefs. They granted, without either difficulty or «— — V ' refcrve, the demanded fupplies. To (iipport the minillry, they extended their animadverfions to their enemies. Having or- dered the commiffioners for the pubhc accounts to lay before them their proceedings ; their report was made, on the twenty- firft of December \ In this report was contained the depofition of Sir Solomon Medina, charging tlie Duke of Marlborough, and one Cardonnel, his fecretary, of various peculations, with regard to the contra(fts for bread and bread-waggons for the army in Flanders. Marlborough endeavoured to defend himfelf, in vain. His paffion for money was known ; and his pretenfions to difintereftednefs produced no effedt on the minds of the commons. The report of the commiffioners was publiffied. It was followed by accufations of various kinds. The prefs teemed with publi- cations and pamphlets, as the Duke's friends, as well as his enemies, made their appeal to the world. The caufe of the latter prevailed. On the thirtieth of December, the Queen de- clared, in council, her refolution to difmifs Marlborough from all his employments. An information, ffie faid, having been laid before the commons, againft the Duke, fhe thought fit to difmifs him from her fervice, that the charge might be more impartially examined ^ Difgrncc of NoTwiTHS TA NDINC this oftenfiblc prctencc, the Duke owed his of Marl- difgrace to a more fecret caufe. His own condudl, fmce his arrival borough. from Holland, was full of offence and liable to fufpicion. Though extremely fubjedl, like his friend Godolphin, to political timidity, he had lately abandoned his ufual caution. His party having calculated their numbers in the houfe of lords, had filled him with a confidence of fuccefs, before the parliament met. The addrefs of the peers, againft the peace, increafed his courage and inflamed his hopes. He thought he adted with fecurity to himfelf, as well • Journals, Dec. 21. * Minutes of council, Dec 30, 1711. as Q^U E E N A N N E. 515 as with advantage to his party. He threw his whole weight into ^ ^^ '^ ^• the fcale againfl: the miniftry. He caballed with Buys. He < ..^ courted Bothmar. He herded with the difcontented of all nations. '''"" Negledling that government of his paffions, for which he had been admired by the world, he fell into all the impotencies of rage and refentment, upon every party-debate % He left to the Queen her choice of two alternatives. To flop the progrefs of the peace, to difmifs the miniftry, and to diflblve the parliament, or to rid herfelf of a perfon, who, from a fervant, was likely to become a tyrant. She determined to adopt the latter meafure, and (he wrote to the Duke, that fhe had no farther occafioa for his fervice. The fears of the miniftry, or the defigns of the Duke of Caufeofthat Marlborough, juftified the difmiflion of the latter on other "*^'^'^^'^' grounds. The Earl of Oxford, perceiving the refradory fpirit of the houfe of lords, framed fuddenly an expedient for gaining a majority in that aflembly. On the laft day of December, twelve gentlemen, devoted to the court, were created peers. The leaders of the Whigs finding that the treafurer was refolved X.6 carry his meafures in parliament, are faid to have refolved to ap- peal to the fword. The Duke of Marlborough having his com- miflion under the great feal, the order of the Queen was not fufficient to diflblve his power. His friends advifed him to aflemble, by his authority as general, all the troops in London, in the dift'erent fquares, and to take pofleflion of St. James's and' the perfon of the Queen. Oxford, apprized of this defign, fud- denly called together the cabinet-council. Though he probably concealed his intelligence, to prevent their fears, he told them of the neceflity of fuperfeding Marlborough, under the great feal. This bufinefs was foon difpatchdd. His difmiflion, in form, was ' Swift's four laft years. Vol. II. U u u fent 514 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. fg^j. ^Q ^i^g Duke. Tlie Earl of Oxford, no ftranger to the. cha- racter of Marlborough, knew that he would not adl againft law, by aflembling the troops ^ The natural diffidence of his difpo- fition, had made him unfit for enterprifes of danger in a degree that furnilhed his enemies with infinuations againft his perfonal 1711. courage Obfervations Thus fell the Dukc of Marlborough, a man as fingular in the difpofition of his mind, as he was in the extraordinary fortune of his life. The high fphere in which he moved, rendering him the objed: of envy, as well as of applaufe ; he has been cenfured with virulence, by fome writers, and by others extravagantly praifed. The fecret intrigues, and the hiftory of his public tranfadions, have furnilhed both fides with an ample field for declamation ; and there is even a peculiarity in his charader, that fcarce admits of that happy medium which lies between the oppofite limits of detradtion and admiration. Though he was born with very con- fiderable talents, he was far from pofleffing thofe extenfive abili- ties, which are deemed, perhaps very erroneoufly, effential to men who acquire the firft fame in war. Negledled in his educa- tion, when young, his mind was not imbued with the leaft tindure of letters. He could not even fpell his native language \ He neither fpoke, with eafe, nor attempted, at all, to write, ia any foreign tongue «. This unhappy defed may, in a certain degree, form an excufe for fome parts of his condudt, which might otherwife appear profligate. Excluded from every know- ledge of the virtues of former times, he fell in with the vices of his own. He judged, perhaps, of human nature, from the unprincipled manners of the court in which he was bred ; and the felfifhnefs that has contributed to ftain his name, found an excufe in the profligacy of other men. ^ MS. Anecdote, 1712. • Swiffs four M years, p. j;. ' His original letters. Stuart and Hannover-papers, pafiitn. 6 Original letters to Robethon. Hannover-papers. 5 There Q^U E E N A N N E. S^S There Is, however, great reafon to believe, that Marlborough ^ ^^.^ ^' improved confiderably on the vicious example of feveral of his " ^/— — ' cotemporaries. His defedion from King James might, in fome o„ the ciu- meafure, be excufed by its utility. But his defign of placing '^^^"' that unfortunate Prince a captive in the hands of his rival, is utterly inconfiftent with the common feelings of mankind \ "With regard to him, he was a benefadtor, a friend, and even a father- He raifed him from obfcurity, to independence, to fortune, and to honour. He placed him in that only ftate, that could render his defertion deftrudlive to his own affairs. If his mif- condu£t had rendered James unworthy of the returns of gratitude due to other men, why was King William alfo deceived ' ? If no meafures were to be kept with either of thofe Monarchs, why was England betrayed to her mortal enemy '' ? Though tliefe queftions can fcarce be anfwered to fatisfadion, they admit of alleviation. In the charaders of mankind fome allowances mud be made for their paffions and frailties. The attention to intereft, which palled through the whole condud of Marlborough, might fuggefl; to his prudence, to quit the fortunes of a man apparently deflined for ruin. His fpirit might induce him to oppofe King William, as the cold referve, negled, and averfion of that Prince» might offend his pride. In this ftate of mind, his Lordfhip could hardly feparate the intereft of the kingdom from that of the King; and he informed the French court of the expedition againft Brelt, more with a defign of being revenged on William, than with a view to ferve France at the expence of England. But if the virtues of the Duke of Marlborough were neither andcondua many nor ftriking, he fupplied the defeds of his mind with the decency of his outward carriage and the dexterity of his condud. He poffeffed a folid underftanding, a degree of natural elocution,, * Original papers, i689» * Stuart papers, paffim, j' Stuart-papers, 1694. U u u 2 an 5i6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A P VIII. an irrefiftible manner, an addrefs which rendered mankhid pleafed with themfelvcs. If not modeil by nature, he aflnmed its ap- pearance, with eafe and dignity. He reconciled mankind to his fame, by afFefting to be indifferent about applaufc ; and, by coming upon men in general, through their vanity, they were willing to give back the praife which he fo liberally beftowed. Though he was perfectly mafter of his temper, and able to govern, or effedlually to difguife his paffions, he threw a kind of plcafing vehemence into his converfation, that gave it the appear- ance of finccrity. The great vice of his mind, and, perhaps, the root of all the manifefl. defedts of his charadlcr, was an un- governable love of wealth. This paffion, deemed inconfiftent with any greatnefs of foul, betrayed him into meannefles, that raifed a contempt, which could fcarcely be obliterated from the minds of men, by the uncommon fplendour of his adions in the field. Though, perhaps, never man was more hated, he owed more to favouritifmi than to fortune. The afFedlion of King James had firft made him an objedt of attention to his country^ The fuppofed attachment of Queen Anne to himfelf and his family, procured for him that influence in Europe, which was ihe great foundation of his fuccefs ". ef the Duke The malevolence that perfecuted Marlborough through his borough! a£lions in civil life, purfued the mofl fplendid of his operations in the field. No modern general obtained greater victories, yet his conduit has been much lefs praifed than his good fortune* Some affirmed, that he was not fond of expofmg his own perfon, in action '. Others faid, that his apparent perturbation of fpirits, in the hour of battle, was as little confiftent wath his ufuaj carriage, as it was with true courage. But neither of thefe charges feem to be well founded. An uninterrupted, chain of fuc- cefs, through a courfe of many years, cannot juflly be afcribed to I' MSS. paffim. ' Swift's four years. chance QJJ E E N A N N E. 517 chance alone ; and perfonal courage can never be denied, with ^ ^^ ^ ^• juftice, to a man who has been accufed by his enemies to have " . — j delighted in war ". In his pohtical capacity the Duke was cer- tainly timid. His misfortunes proceeded from that very defeat of his character. In his principles, for notwithftanding what his enemies affirm, he had fome, he was certainly a high Tory. He pofleded a fiibferviency of manner, a habit infeparable from men bred in courts, that fuited the mofl extravagant pretenfions of royalty. To this circumftance, more, perhaps, than to gra- titude, ought to be afcribed his manifeft attachment to the ex- cluded branch of the family of Stuart. To a fmcerity, ia this refpedt, was owing, in fad:, his continual profeffions to the court of St. Germalns. They were, in themfelves, neither an objedl of hope nor of fear ; and, therefore, they were little calculated to gratify either ambition or avarice. He was dif- trufted by them, perhaps, more than he deferved. Had he been poffefred of a daring boldnefs, fuitable to his great influence, fame, and power, he might, probably, have placed the Pretender on the throne. All his paffions, at length, were either fubdued or extinguilhed by the love of money ; and to that unhappy cir- cumftance muft be afcribed the ruin of his reputation. Upon the whole, if Marlborough is lefs to be admired than fome other dif- tinguifhed ftatefmcn and generals, it is, perhaps, becaufe his fecret intrigues and adions are better known. Th e fate of his reputation, after his fall, may be confidered Reffeaions. as a kind of proof, that too much was known, even then, of his private conduft. The news of his difmlffion was received like a common occurrence. No tumults, no clamours, excepting the complaints of the writers of fome pamphlets, fucceeded that event. The greateft fubje(ft in Europe funk into a private ftation, without the found of his fall being heard. His confequence with his owa ■' Publications of the Times. Queen's fpeech, Dec. 7, 1711, 4 party 5i8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN, CHAP, party vanifhcd with his commlflion. His own ufual good temper i_ - -' I forfook him with his good fortune. He became querulous, '''^'* wrathful, violent, revengeful. From direding the affairs of Europe, he funk into an inferior tool of a fadlion. The pre-emi- nence which he poffeffed, when in office, ceafcd when he became a private man. His wealth, his former reputation, his fplendid adions, only contributed, by their contrafl, to render his prefent condition more abjed. The vulgar, tho' fometimes more generous than their fuperiors, inflead of applauding his conduft, perfecuted him with infults ^ ; and he had the mortification to fee the Prince of Savoy, the only rival of his military fame, received with the loudefl acclamations of joy. It muf\, however, be confeffed, that the arts of his enemies fomented the prejudices of the vul- gar. The heft writers had been gained to the fide of the miniftry. Pamphlet followed pamphlet, and effay was fucceeded by effay. When the fliafts of poignant fatire fly, without intermiffion, even the mofl; invulnerable fame muft give way. Befides, the Duke himfelf was conquered in his own mind. Inftead of that dig- nified coolnefs, that was deemed a part of his charader, he was found unable to bear a reverfe of fortune. He difcovered, upon every occafion, an impatience and a refentment, more apt to amufe than to terrify his political enemies ". He is unjufl- THOUGH Mailborough fhewed lefs apathy than was cxpeded ly cenfured fyom his former charadler, his enemies furnifhed him with fufficient lor profecut- ing reafons for his refentment. The accufation which chiefly ruined his credit with the nation, now appears to have been malicious and unjufl. He was faid to have facrificed the war in Spain, to his own operations in Flanders, to gratify his ambition, and to glut his inordinate avarice. His enemies in parliament, alluding to the ftrength of the French barrier, made ufe of a vulgar phrafe, which made a great imprcffion on a people who were heartily =^ Stuart-papers, 1712. " Swift's four years, p 67. Stuart papers. Hannover-paperf. tired lyii. Q^UEEN ANNE. 519 tired of the war. They faid, that to endeavour to fubdue France, ^ }J ^^ ^' by attacking her ftrong towns on the fide of Flanders, was talcing the bull by the horns. That, inftead of expelling Philip the Fifth from Spain, the troops and trcafure of the confederates were thrown away on unimportant fieges, and attadcs upon almoft impregnable lines. That the Prince of Savoy, himfelf, as he profited, like Marlborough, by hoftllities in Flanders, had con- trived to unite with him in influencing, through the penfionary Heinfius, the councils of the States ; and that all the three meaut nothing by the undecifive campaigns in Flanders, but to protra(St their own power, which was likely to terminate with the war. There is nothing, however, more certain, than that to pufli the war in France, on the fide of Flanders, was the infallible way of de- priving the houfe of Bourbon of the crov/n of Spain. The war, in the latter kingdom, had been carried on, always, with a de- gree of fpirit, and often with great fuccefs. But, at the end of ten years, Philip the Fifth was more firmly eflabliflied on the throne, than at the beginning of the conteft. The diftance of the confederates from the place of adion, the neceffity of conveying every thing by fea, the fterility of the country itfelf, the indo- lence of the inhabitants, which deprived their enemies, as well as themfelves, of the neceflaries of war, the religious prejudices of the native Spaniards, againft a Prince, fupported by troops whom they called Heretics, had all combined to confirm the knowing and judicious in the opinion, that Spain was not to be conquered within its own limits. On the other hand, though the ftrong barrier of France in Flanders, muft neceffarily have coft, to the confederates, much time, a great deal of treafure, and a multi- tude of lives, the work was at length almoft finifhed. Another campaign would probably have enabled the Allies, had they continued united, to penetrate into France, and even to advance to Paris. The fate of the French monarchy itfelf muft have de- pended, 320 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, pemlcd, perhaps, on the iflue of a fingle battle. Lewis the ^ - _' . Fourteenth, to fave his crown, would have been obliged to ''"'• pull his grandibn, in a manner with his own hands, from the throne of Spain. The French King was no ftranger to this circumftance, no more than the Duke of Marlborough \ If, therefore, the objed of the allies was to recover Spain from the houfe of Bourbon, the Duke was certainly right in making the principal effort in Flanders. e M, de Torcy, torn. ii. C H A K QJO £ E N A N M E. 5«i- t: M A P. IX. flews of the lordtreafurer. Dangerous Jchemes of the Confe- derates and Whigs. Tivelnje new peers created. Arriiml and charaSler of Prince Eugene. His fchemes. Projeclr- of Marlborough and Bothnar.-—— Prince Eugene's •violent propofal. He is dijgujhd ivith the Whigs. His plot df covered. ■ Conflernation of the ^leen and viiniflry. — — Lord treafurers prudent conduB.— -Proceedings of the com- mons. Their animadverfions on the Whigs. They cenfure the barrier-treaty. They examitie the co7iduci of the allies. Prince Eugene returns to the Continent.— —Congrefs at Utrecht. Death of the Princes of France.^— ^ Alternatives offered by Great Britain. King Philip renounces his title ta the French cro-wti. Anxiety of the ^een for peace. Her attachtnait to the Pretender. He ivrites to the ^leen^ Artifice of the Earl of Oxford.- He deceives the Jaco- bites. The ^leen lays the terms before parliament. Arguments for and againfl the peace. Proceedings. Cam- paign of 1712. Inactivity of Ormond. Conjlernation of the allies. Intrigues of Marlborough. A fufpcnfion of arms. Affair of Denain. The allies defeated. Rapid progrefs of the French. Bolingbroke fent to France. He fettles terms 'with M. de Torcy. The States eager for peace. The ^leen interferes for them. Her views in favour of the Pretender. He declines to change his religion. In- trigues and propofals of the Tories. Defigns of the Whigs. Oxford pays court, in vain, to Hannover. Death of the Duke of Hamilton. Marlborough quits the kingdom. Shrewfbury fent to France. Affairs of the North. Progrefs of the peace. Secret fchemes of the Whigs. Vol. 11. X X X Projects 52^ HISTORY 0F GREAT BRITAIN. Projccis of the boufe of Hannover. They clifrujl the ^leen and miniftry, 77?^ EleBor indifferent about the fucceffton. Marlborough a fpy oil the Pretender. Vieivs of that Prince. Peace of Utrecht. CHAP. /~|**^IIOUGH the Earl of Oxford acquired the reputation of ^_ -,- _i A fpirit, from the difmifllon of the Duke of Marlborough, Aukward that mcafure ought rather to be afcribed to his fears. He was fuuation and jj^ j|^g {"xvc^t awkvvard predicament with his predeceflbr in ofEce. views ot the '■ _ ' _ Earl of Ox Both were forced to adopt a line of condudl diametrically oppo- fite to their principles and views. The Earl of Godolphin, though a Tory and a Jacobite, was obliged, from the circuni- ftances of the times, to place himfelf at the head of the Whigs. The prefent treafurer, though a Prefbyterian and attached to the houfe of Hannover, was confidered as the leader of the Tories, and a favourer of the claims of the Pretender. The bulk of man- kind, ever deceived by outward fhow, judged of the two minifters by their own paffions and prejudices. Godolphin, when in cor- reipondence with the court of St. Germains, was violently praifed by many, and as extravagantly condemned by others, for his attachment to the Proteftant fucceffion. Oxford was flill more xmfortunate than his rival. He was fuppofed, by the court of Hannover itfelf, as well as by the people, a determined friend to the excluded family ; even when he ufed all his efforts againft their eventual reftoration, and laid himfelf in the duff at the feet of the parliamentary heirs of the crown. His profeffions were confidered as fo many baits to deceive. But, in a happy enthu- fiafm for his own religious opinions, or, perhaps, ultimately to gain the favour of the family moll likely to fucceed, he feemed determined to exclude all refentment ; and to fhew that he was a much more fincere friend than his adverfaries to the fucceffion of the Eledoral family. Hedifcovers, In this difpofition of mind, the Earl of Oxford was as much by an acci- . . . dent, afraid of the Tories, as he was of the principal Whigs. His 5 gfeat 1712. QJJ E E N A N N E. 523 great defire, when he aflumed the adminiftration of affairs, was CHAP, to retain the mofi: moderate of the low-church party in oflice. The violence of his friends, as well as the rage of his enemies, put an end, for a time, to this trimming fcheme. To balance, in fome de- gree, the vehemence of the high-church party, he wiflied to keep Marlborough at the head of the army a. An incident, however, defeated all his prefent fchemes, while it proved fortunate for his future condudt. Though he had entered, with fuch an appear- ance of firmnefs and zeal, into the fcheme of making peace with France, his courage failed him when the Whigs began their clamours againft the preliminaries. He therefore endeavoured, by large promifes, to gain the Emperor to his meafures, through his ambaflador at London. That minifter, however, conftruing Oxford's advances to his inability of fupporting himfelf, advifed his mafter to reject his propofals, and to adhere to the Whigs. He affirmed, that there was no reafon to apprehend the Tories durft conclude a feparate peace with France, or offend the po- pulace by giving jealoufy to the confederates. He propofed, at the fame time, that, to amufe the people of Great Britain, large promifes fhould be made by the Emperor, for continuing, with redoubled vigour, the war. This meafure, he faid, would either perfuade or terrify the Britifli mlniftry to put an end to the nego- tiations of peace ; alTuring his mafter, that ways and means could be afterwards found for evading his engagements, with credit. *" One Plunket, an Irilh Jefuit, bred at Vienna, refided then at thedefignsof London. This perfon was on a footing of the greateft intimacy rates, with the fecretary of the Imperial ambafTador. He had the ad- drefs to procure from his friend, copies of moft of the ambaffafi dor's difpatches to the States-general and the court of Vienna. Being known to one Netterville and to Pen, the noted Quaker, he * Stu»rt-papers, Feb. 1712. "^ Stuartpapers, 171?, Roger's dream. 17 13, M. de Torcy, torn. ii. X X X 2 informed 524 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. informed the Earl of Oxford, by their means, of the difcoveries he had made. He placed the papers, to the number of twenty- '''"■ four, in his hands. Amonp^ other matters of importance, they contained the refolution of the Duke of Savoy to adiiere to the pacific meafures of Queen Anne ; together with a letter from the King of Portugal to the Emperor importing, that he was refolved to put an end, on his part, to the war. They contained alfo a fcheme for dethroning the Queen; and another, in cafe that fliould fail, for continuing the war for two years. Thefe papers being laid by the treafurer before her Majefty, made fuch an im- preflion, that fhe immediately refolved to conclude a feparate ce with France \ and Whigj. The Earl of Oxford, apprized opportunely of thefe intrigues, paid no attention to the complaints and reprefentations of the Count de Galas. Plunket finding that minifterdejeded, on account of his be- ing flighted by the Queen's minifters, endeavoured to gain him over to the interefts of the Pretender. But the Whigs having formed many vifionary projeds for difappointing the peace, the Count refolved to adhere to their party. Plunket having failed in gain- ing his favour, refolved to alarm his fears. He told him, that a defign was on foot for marrying the Pretender's fifter to Charles the Twelfth of Sweden. That Charles, from a profped of the fucceffion to the Britifh crown in the right of his intended fpoufe, would aflTift the Pretender with a Proteftant army. That there would be no difficulty in tranfporting troops from Sweden to Scotland ; and that a Prince of Charles's high military reputation and genius, would find little difficulty in eftablifhing his brother- in-law in a kingdom where he had fo many and fo zealous friends. The ambaifador carried this intelligence to the Whigs. They were alarmed, beyond meafure. They fent to the court of Han- nover for an agent capable of fupporting, in concert with them- * Stuart-papers, 1712. Roger';, dream. 171 3. M. de Torcy, torn. ii. felves, I/IZ' Q^U E E N A N N E. 525 felves, the Interefts of the Elcifloral family. The Baron de Both- mar arrived, accordingly, in London, in the month of November, in company with the Duke of Marlborough ; and the memorial, prefcnted in the name of the Eledlor, againft the peace, was the reiiilt of conferences betvreen the minifters of that Prince and the leaders of the Whig-party ^ Had not the attachment of the Earl of Oxford to the Elcdoral Oxford's pra- dence. family interfered, this meafure might have proved fatal to the fucceffion, according to the ad of fettlement. The whole body of the Tories, the houfe of commons, and, above all, the Queen herfelf, were to the laft degree offended. The Dukes of Buck- ingham and Shrewfbury, together with the majority of the cabi- net-council, propofed to fend liothmar, in the cuftcdy of a melTenger, out of the kingdom '. Tbe Earl of Oxford, perceiving the danger of this refolution, oppofed it with addrefs and effect. He reprefented, that the peace was not fufficiently advanced, to truft the terms to the court of France. That the mob, alarmed by their habitual fears of popery, would become clarnorous and join the Whigs. I^hat the Jacobites would turn inlblent ; and that, in fhort, the whole kingdom would become a fcene of anarchy and confufion. The Whigs perceiving that Bothmar's memorial produced no effeft, flew, with the ufual vehemence of party, into another fcheme. They fent to the Prince of Savoy to come immediately to London. Tiie objed of his journey was to lay before the Queen and the parliament, the necellity of con- tinuing the war. He was alfo to provide himlelf with proofs, that France had bought peace from the Britifla court, for money. Upon this accufation the Whigs, having a majority in the houfe of lords, were to fend two or three of the cabinet- council to the Tower. Plunket, having received intelligence of thefe fchemes, from his friend, the Emperor's agent, then at the Hague, con- veyed the whole to the Earl of Oxford ^ ■•Stuart-papers, 17 1 3. MSS. paflim, penes me. <= Stuart-papers, 1713. f Ibid. Though 526 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. I71Z- Whigs fend for Prince Eugene. H s charac- ter. Though the intelligence furniftied by Plunket, was the prin- cipal reafon for the refolute meafures of the Earl of Oxford, he owed the prefervation of his power, and, perhaps, ultimately his life, to the happy, but unaccountable delay of Prince Eugene. Though a caution, which his enemies called political timidity, might prevent the Duke of Marlborough from adopting violent meafures, there was no fecurity againft the fchemesof the Prince: A man of great abilities, unconfined by principle, fangulne in his views ; as determined in the execution of his defigns, as he was bold in undertaking the mofi: defperate meafures. lie kept one great objetfl, his own ambition, perpetually in view. He pufhed forward, in one direcH: line, to that diftinguifhed point. He re- garded obftacles only as to their difficulty of being removed. He valued little the means he ufed ; as he was taught by his pride that every thing calculated to extend his own greatnefs was allow- able, if not juft. In this difpofition of Eugene's mind, the only fafety of the miniftry confifted in his abfence from London. But the flow counfcls of the houfe of Auftria proved, according to cuftom, highly favourable to their enemies. The Prince was detained at the Hague, till the feafon of his being ufeful in London was paft. The Earl of Oxford, apprized of the defigns of his enemy, had time to fortify himfelf againft his attacks ; and, thus, by the incontinence of a fecretary, and the addrefs of an obfcure Jefuit, much mifchief was prevented, and Europe ultimately reftored to tranquillity. A majority made in the houfe of lords. The Earl of Oxford, long perplexed with difficulties, became at length refolute, through his very fears. He difmiffed the Duke of Marlborough from all his employments. But this raea- fure was not fufficient to fecure him againft the defigns of the Whigs. Though the houfe of commons were fubfervient to his wiffies, there was alfo a neceffity of gaining a majority to the meafures of the court in the houfe of lords. The excluded party had 17I2. QJJ E E N A N N E. 5^7 had acquired courage, as well as reputation, under the approba- ^ HA P. IX, tion of one branch of the legiflaturc. To deprive them of that advantage, was to purfue with efFcdt the vidlory already gained by the miniftry, by the removal of the Duke. A fudden refolu- tioa was taken to command the deliberations of the houfe of lords, by the creation of twelve new peers. The meafure was deemed arbitrary and dangerous ; but it could not be called ille- gal. It ferved only to fhew the party, that an oppofition is formed in vain againfl the crown, in an aflembly whofe number of members depends on the will of the Prince. The lords having met on the fecond of January, the new peers were introduced. They had fcarce taken their feats, when they were called upon fervice. A motion was made to adjourn the houfe to the four- teenth of the month, the day to which the commons had ad- journed. Upon a divilion, the majority for the court appeared to be thirteen \ The violence of the party increafed with this reverfe of fortune. Though the means ufed to defeat their ef- forts in the houfe of lords were obvious, and might have been forefeen, they had derived hopes that the prerogative could not be exerted, from the timid character of the Queen °. Three days after the untoward difcovery made by the Whigs Prince Eu- of their own weaknefs, the Prince of Savoy, fo long and fo eagerly §on! '" °"* expeded by the party, arrived in London. The miniftry, knowing his defigns, refolved to watch his motions. The Earl of Oxford fent one Drummond, a dependant of his own, to meet him in the river. St. John difpatched, upon the fame fervice, a Mr. Brinfden, an oculift, an agent in whom he could confide. The Prince obtain- ed An audience of the Queen ; but he was coldly, though politely, received. She referred him for bufmefs to Oxford and St. John, the only perfons prefent at their interview. The Whigs were much elevated at the arrival of his Highnefs, in a conjundure fo ' 8iagainft68. « Stuart-papers, 171 1. critical 528 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. critical to their affairs. Even fuch Tories as carried their prin- ciples to the height of Jacobitifm were not difpleafed. They were ''"^' no flrangers to the principles, or rather the views, of the Earl of Oxford, in favour of the family of Hannover. They knew, that to defeat the peace was to ruin the minifler. Nothing but the fear of falling into the hands of the Whigs had induced them to fupport the court. Had the leaders of the latter party followed a more moderate line of condudt, the Earl of Oxford muft have fallen by the hands of his fuppofed friends. In the preceding autumn, the adherents of the excluded family had difcovered, that they could form no hopes to their caufe on the favour of the lord- treafurer. Neither the Queen, nor her favourite, now Lady Maiham, were ignorant of this circumftance; but both dreaded what they called the tyranny of the Whigs, fhould the lord trea- furer, by the defertion of the Tories, be forced to refign. His projeas. The Princc of Savoy had formed no doubt of being able to defeat the treaty of peace, by embarraffing the Britifh miniftry with fplendid offers of advantage for continuing the war. He had refolved to propofe, in the name of the Emperor, to leave Great Britain in abfolute poffeffion of the commerce of Spain and America ; to induce the King of Denmark and the Czar of Mul- covy to join in the grand confederacy ; to make up the Imperial forces in Spain to thirty thoufand men ; to pay one million of crowns, out of four, to be expended in the military operations on that fide. Should either houfe of parliament accept thefe terms, in oppofilion to the miniftry, the Eledor of Hannover was to have paffed into Great Britain with an army '. A revolution to be made in favour of that Prince would enable him to carry on the war to the laft extremity againft the houfe of Bourbon. But when Prince Eu- gene perceived, that the commons were firm in their fupport of the ' De Torcy, torn. ii. Staart-papers. 1713. MSS. /«« «?. miniftry j 3 QJJ E E N A N N E. 529 mlniftry; that a majority had been fecured In the houfe of lords ; ^ ^ A P. that the Duke of Marlborough was difgraced, and rendered in- > ^— — ' capable to fecond his views ; that the Whigs, though obftinate in their oppofition, were divided in their councils ; that men of influence and property were inclined to a peace ; that the mob of London were only clamorous for war ; he refolved to fpare no fort of violence to accompiiih his views. In forming his meafures, the Prince of Savoy refolved to con- Schemes of fult chiefly the Duke of Marlborough and the Baron de Bothmar, rough, the Hannoverian ambaflador at the court of London. The Duke, at their firfl interview, chided the Prince for the unfortunate delay in his journey. His arrival, he faid, might have been of great advantage to the party, about a month before. He afcribed his dilatorinefs to that Auftrian gravity which had been often fatal to the affairs of the Imperial family. He told him, that, at the opening of the felTion, their friends had a majority in thd houfe of lords. That they could have fent two or three of the op- pofite party to the Tower, without any difliculty. That their vacant places might be fupplied with men willing to continue the war. That now the whole ftate of affairs was changed; that twelve new peers had been created ; that the Scotifh peers were arrived ; that they muft have recourfe to violence, or drop alto* gether their defign ; that three or four perfons, together with the lord-treafurer, who poffeffed the confidence of a filly woman '', and governed her at pleafure, muft be removed. That the Prince muft, in the mean time, behave himfelf with great moderation and difcretion. That he fliould endeavour to gain the good opinion of the minifter, and induce the commons to grant ample fupplies ; and that the whole party fhould watch fuch accidents as might arife in the progrefs of time '. ' Hannover-papers, 1712. ' M. de Torcy, torn. II. Stuart-papers, 1712. Vol. II. Y y y The S5P HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^\\f^ ^' The Duke defcended from thefe particular fa£ts to reflexions 1 y—~j more general. He affirmed, that the ftate of the kingdom at and of the prefent refembled its fituation at the late Revolution ; that th6 Bothmar. diforders were fimilar, and demanded the fame remedies ; that fhould a Prince of the Electoral family appear in Great Britain, under the cover of a manifefto, fetting forth, that the Pretender was coming with a Popifh army, the mob might be deceived, and Queen Anne, like her father, would fleal away to France. That then the crown might be fettled by the Whigs, and the war be carried on with redoubled vigour. Thefe obfcrvations devolved the difcourfe on the Baron de Bothmar. He aver- red, that though the diforders might be the fame, the fame remedies were impradicable ; that the nation was not fuffi- ciently prepared for a revolution ; that the prejudices of the vulgar, the great engine in fuch daring enterprifes, were ftill upon the fide of the enemy; that though the Queen was fuf- peded of favouring a Popifh fucceflbr, fhe herfelf was a ftri£b Proteftant ; that the jealoufy concerning religion was too feeble, on account of the diftance of the danger ; that though circum- ftances had even been more favourable, the experiment would be extremely dangerous ; that a mifcarriage would inevitably ruin the undertaking, load the family of Hannover with the public hatred, and exclude them from the fucceffion to the crown. The Duke of Marlborough fuffered himfelf to be argued out of his obferva- tions by the eloquence of the Baron de Bothmar. But he is faid to have propofed another projed, more fafe, and equally effec- tual. He fuggefted, that bands of ruffians fhould be fent through the ftreets by night, to infult the inhabitants, to raife diflurbances, and to excite mobs. That, ffiould people become aecuftomed to thefe nocturnal alarms, there v;ould be no difficulty in aflaffinating fuch perfons as the party might wifli to remove, and to throw the whole blame on a licentious band "". »' Msm. de Torcy, torn. ii. Stuart papers, 1713, Though Q^U E E N A N N E. 531 Though Prince Eugene rejeded this proje£l, his own was not *- ^j '^ '*• diftinguifhed with more humanity. He propofed to fet fire to '- — ^ ' 171 J. London, in different places, in the night ; particularly to the pa- pnnce tu- lace of St. James's, where the Queen refided. He fhewed, that fe^nTpropofal. the proper time for the execution of this defign was when the guards on duty were commanded by an officer whom the party could truft. That, in the mid ft of the confufion, the Duke of Marlborough fliould appear at the head of a party in arms. That he fhould firfl: poffefs himfelf of the Tower, the Bank, the Ex- chequer. That then he fliould felze the perfon of the Queen, force her to diffolve the parliament, to call a new reprefentative, to make a free inquiry into the clandeftine correfpondence with France, to punifli the guilty with death ". The Lords Somers, Cowper, and Plalifax, were confulted upon this fcheme. They refufed at firft to declare their own opinion ; but they at lafl: ab- folutely rejefted the violent propofal of the Prince. They figni- fied their inclination to proceed in the legal and ordinary way. They advifed Bothmar to prefent a fecond memorial, in the name of his mafter, more clear, more pofitive, and more comprehen- five, than the former. But though Bothmar agreed to all the fchemes, in which the Whigs were only concerned, he fhrunk back when it became his own part to ad. He told him, that, by prefenting fuch a memorial, without the exprefs orders of the Elector, he (liould rifk his head. That, therefore, he v/as refolved to extend his aid no farther, than to compofe a writing, contain- ing the ftrongeft expreffions agalnft the peace; and that this anonymous paper fhould be printed in Holland, and publilhcd and difperfed in London °. Disappointed in his views, by the caution of the Whigs His further and the timidity of Bothmar, the Prince of Savoy laid be- Jp''p„"i'„" d!*^ fore his party another plan. He propofed, that the Eledtor of " Mem. de Torcy, torn. ii. MSS. paffim. * Ibid. Y y y 2 Hannover 17 > 2. 53a HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C 11 A P. Hannover fliould be appointed commander in chief of the troops in Flanders, and governor-general in the Netherlands ; that to ilrengthen the Whigs, the Electoral Prince fhould pafs into Eng- land, to awe the miniflry, by appearing at the head of their ene- mies. Marlborough and Godolphin oppofed this meafure with great vehemence. They affirmed, that the Tories, to a man, were enemies to the Eledoral family ; that, fhould the Prince of Hannover come over whilft they are in pofieffion of the govern- ment, the abrogation of the ad of fettlement would be the necef- fary confequcnce j and that a civil war might arife, perhaps, as fatal to the nation as that between the houfes of York and Lancafter. But the Duke of Marlborough was urged by flronger motives thaa the miferies to be entailed on his country. The credit of his^ enemies daily increafed. His own declined. He had already felt a change of fortune. He was afraid of further viciffitudes* The Emperor had provided him with an eftate in Germany, out of the fpoils of the Elector of Bavaria. He had dignified him with the title of Prince. But though this fettlement had fecured a quiet retreat, it was not fufficient to fatisfy his ambition. He had turned his eyes to the command of the Imperial troops in Flanders, with the title of Vicar-General of that country. He, therefore, could not approve of a projed that placed the Eledor in a ftation which he wifhed to obtain for himfelf ^ Difguiied The Prince, enraged at the difficulties raifed againft all his duftc'Tthe"' projeds, declared, that he perceived the Whigs were no more Whigs. friends to the houfe of Hannover, than the Tories. That they were enemies to all regal government, and biaffed in favour of a republic '' ; but that, if he judged aright, they were as unfit for eftablifhing that form of government, as they were incapable of fupporting it with patriotifm and unanimity. That their propofal p Mem. de Torcy, torn. ii. MSS. paflim. « Mem. de Torcy, torn. ii. Stuart-papers. to .MIATQl_u E E'] fent to Holland. He prevailed with his friend to confent to come- to England, upon the promiie of a provihon for life : but he in^^ fifled to have that promife under the hand of ihe fecretary of flate. Though the affair belonged properly to the fecretary's office, the Earl of Oxford took the whole into his own department. Plunket informed him of the German agent's demands. But* he : kept the letter from the infpedion of the cabinet-council. He, in the mean time, amufed Plunket, and contrived to. employ him.; in Holland, as the only means to prevent the cabinet-counciL from making public this difagreeable and dangerous affair ". « Stuart papers, 1713. MS. paffim. " Ibid, paffira. Stuart-papers, 1 7 1 3. The 536 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C ^ A P. The Earl of Oxford, through the whole of this trying fcenc, *— — . ' behaved like a man whofe paffions lay fubdued by his principles. HiiVr'tfu'i Though he was no ftranger to the defigns of his enemies againft "ondudi '°"' ^'^ miftrefs, though he was informed of their fchemes againft his own perfon, though thofe who fupported his meafures upbraided him for his conduit, he proceeded, confidering his fituation, with great moderation and circumfpedion. The violence of the Whigs, more than the vehemence of the Tories, had forced him into the meafures, of which the firft of thofe parties fo much complained. He was unwilling to difgrace Marlborough. He was equally averfe from perfecuting that nobleman in parliament. When the commons, fwayed by Tory-principles, animadverted upon the Duke and his adherents, the Earl of Oxford had proofs in hands againft them, that would infallibly ruin their reputation with the people, and might even endanger their lives. Though infulted, ftigmatized, and perfecuted by the Baron de Bothmar; though liable to the violence of that imprudent refident, and fub- jefl to his fecret and dangerous confpiracies ; though diftrufted by the Princefs Sophia, fufpefted by the Ele£tor, and hated by the whole Eledoral family; he feemed to place himfelf above refentment, and to encourage hopes that his condud would ulti- mately contradi£l the mifreprefentation? of his enemies, and gain the coTifidence and even the gratitude of the prefumptive heirs of the crown. To accomplifh a purpofe laudable in itfelf, he made afterwards ufe of a deception, lefs confiftent with honour than with true, or perhaps neceflary, policy ". Proceedings DuRiNG thefe fccrct intrigues, dangerous confpiracies, and mons. clandeftine defigns, the parliament proceeded along the obvious line of public bufinefs. The two houfes having met on the four- teenth of January, were required, by a meflage from the Queen, to adjourn themfelves further to the feventeenth of the month. " MSS. paffim, 1712. Stuart-papers. Ilannover-papers. Her 1712. QJJ E E N A N N E. 537 Her Majefty ordered the fecretary of ftate to acquaint the com- mons, that her plenipotentiaries had arrived at Utrecht, and had already opened the conferences for the fpeedy re-eftablifliment of the public tranquillity. That, to fecure the conclufion of peace, by appearing provided for war, all preparations were made for opening an early campaign. She therefore requeued the houfc to give the neceflary difpatch to the fupplies. She concluded with complaining of the licence of the prefs, which was become too great to be reftrained by the laws in force ; and fhe recommended to the houfe to find a remedy equal to the mifchief. The anfwer of the commons was fuitable to their principles and their ufua^ obfequioufnefs to the views of the Queen. They thanked her for her promife to communicate to them the terms of the peace. They reflected on fuch perfons as had fpread groundlefs and malicious reports againfl: her councils. They promifed difpatch in the fup- plies. They afllircd her that they would take the moft efFedual courfe to flop the licentioufnefs of falfe and fcandalous libels ". To thefe aflurances to the Queen, the commons added animad- Animadver- fions on I Whigs. Walpole expelled; verfions on thofe who oppofed the meafures of the crown. Having wMg°" IgS taken under confideration the report of the commiffioners of pub- Waipoie lie accounts, they found that Mr. Robert Walpole had been guilty of a high breach of truft and notorious corruption. Upon the oath of one of his agents it appeared, that Walpole had received five hundred guineas and a note for five hundred more for two contrads, made by him when fecretary at war, for fupplying the troops in North Britain with forage. Though the fhameful vena- lity of this man deferved punilhment, his connexion with the for- mer miniftry was more the objeft of refentment than his offence. He was expelled from his feat in the houfe and committed to the Tower ''. The commons pafTed from the affair of Robert Wal- pole to a cenfure on the Duke of Marlborough. Upon examining * Journals, Jan. 17. y Ibid. Vol. II. Z z z th.e IJI2, 53^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, the charge agalnft that nobleman, for having taken money of the 1 Aa contra(Stors for bread and bread-waggons, and for deducing for his own ufe two and one half per cent, from the pay of the foreign troops in Flanders, in the pay of Great Britain, they came to a refolution, that the Duke, in receiving thofc fums, had been guilty of unwarrantable and illegal practices. Their vote was laid by the whole houfe before her Majefty. The attorney-general was direded to profecute the duke. But either no profecution was- ever commenced, or it was carried on with a languor that defeated its defign. To throw difgrace on Marlborough was more the objedl of the minifter than the refunding of the public money. To accomplifh the firft the commons extended their animadvcr- fions to his family and fervants. Adam Cardonnel, his fecretary, was foon after expelled the houfe for pradtices fimilar to thofe of his lord "". The Barrier DuRiNG thcfc animadverfions on the former miniftry, the con- aaiiued, du£l of the commons was calculated to facilitate the prefent mea- fures of the crown ". The Vifcount Townfhend, whom Marl- borough, had aflbciated with himfelf in the negociations for peace in 1 709, had concluded a treaty with the States of the United Provinces, with regard to a barrier in Flanders for the Dutch at the end of the war. In concluding this treaty, Towmfliend, in a compliance with the views of his party, had exceeded his inftruc- tions. Lifle, Tournay, Menin, Douay, and feveral places on the Lys and the Schcld, were guaranteed to the States. The moft of thofe cities were in themfelves an eflential barrier to France. It could not therefore be fuppofed, that fhe would yield, for the protedion of her enemies, what was neceflary for her own fecurlty. An obftrudion to the peace, which might ultimately defeat the defign of the congrefs, threatened to rife from this cir- cumftance. Befides, the engagements of the States, in return » Feb. 18. » Jan. 25. fo» Q^U E E N ANNE. 539 for the barrier, were now deemed inconfiftent with the fafety of chap. the Queen of Great Britain and her friends \ They undertook »_ -.- _j to guarantee the Proteftant fucceffion, to aid with their fliips and '''^" armies the prefumptive heirs of the crown, whenever that fucceffion fhould appear to be in danger. The miniftry were not ignorant that the Whigs, and perhaps the States themfelves, pretended that this perilous period was already arrived \ The barrier treaty, and the inftrudlions upon which It had and its au- been concluded by Townfhend, with all the letters that had paffed fured. upon the fubjed, were fucceflively laid before the commons. The Baron de Bothmar, with his ufual imprudence, made his mafter a party in favour of the treaty. He wrote in vehement terms to Mr. Secretary St. John ^ He threatened feveral members of the lower houfe with the refentment and vengeance of the Eledlor, lliould they proceed to cenfure the perfons concerned. Though this conduct could fcarce be fuppofed to proceed from inftrudions from Hannover, the enemies of that court improved the circum- ilance to favour their own views. The more credulous part of the commons were induced to believe the fuggeftions of an intended invafion, and the reports of a defigned revolution. The moll: fpi- rited were offended at this unfeafonable interference with the refo- lutions of a body who had a right to be independent of every external power. When therefore the affair of the barrier came to a vote, the commons refolved, that feveral articles of the treaty were deftrudlve to the trade and intereft of Great Britain. That the Lord Townfliend had neither orders nor authority to conclude thefe pernicious articles. That therefore he who negociated and figned the treaty was an enemy to the Queen and kingdom. The States interfered in vain in a letter to the Queen herfelf % The miniftry having refolved on a peace, were determined to remove every obftacle that flood in the way. ^ M. de Torcy, torn. ii. ' Stuart papers. Debates in parliament. "" Printed letter. ' Ibid. Z z z 2 In S40 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. In profcciition of this defign, the commons were encouraged to *_— V — -r examine the condud of the allies with regard to their furnifliing inquVry^i'nto t^^'"" rcfpe^tive quotas for the war. This inquiry opened a fcenc thecondua vv'hich Contributed to increafe the great defire of the people for of ihe allies. ° r r peace. It appeared that not one of the confederates except Great Britain had fulfilled any one of their engagements. That the Emperor, in particular, who had moft to gain by the war, con- tributed the leaft towards its expence. That the States of the United Provinces had not come up in any article to the terma of their treaties. That the King of Portugal and the Duke of Savoy made a lucrative trade of the war, by extrading from their friends the advantages which they ought to conquer from their enemies. The commons came to various refolutions on this im- portant fubje£l. The Princes and States who compofed the confe- deracy were treated with great freedom in the debates. The com- plaints of their refpedlive minifters were joined by the clamours^ of the excluded party. They affirmed, that the Emperor, who was the acknowledged head of the alliance, was attacked with un- becoming difrefped:. That the Duke of Savoy, to whofe fpirit and adivity the allies owed the conqueft of Italy, was unworthily- treated. That the States, the faithful allies, and even the bene- fadors of the Britifli nation, were infulted; and all this to facili- tate a dishonourable treaty, to pleafe a faithlefs enemy, who pre- fumed to didate the terms of peace, after having been almoft totally fubdued in the war ^ The Whigs While the miniftry carried forward with fafety their meafures, d"ft iTtht' u"^^r ^^^ protedion of the commons, an unexpeded incident 'louie of gave to their enemies a tranfitory fuperiority in the houfe of lords. The Queen, in a meflage of the feventeenth of January, had re- commended the reconfideration of the Duke of Hamilton's patent. The peers having adjourned the bufinefs from day to day, feemed f Hift. d' Angleterre. Hlft. of Europe, 17 12. Debates, at 17IZ. Q^U E E N A N N E. 541 at length, by dropping their debates without coming to a decifion, ^ ^^ /^ ^■ to adhere to their former refolution. The lords who reprefented the peerage of Scotland, refolved to fit no more in an afTcmbly that refufed to acknowledge what they deemed their undoubted right. The Whigs improvea this fecefTion to their own advantage. The fpecific offers received at Utrecht, by the plenipotentiaries of France, on the firft of February, having found their way into the Dutch news-papers, were laid before the peers, by the Lord Halifax, on the fifteenth of that month. He moved, that an addrefs fhould be prefented to the Queen, fignifying the indig- nation of the houfe againft the terms offered by the French King; and promifing to ftand by and affift her Majefty, with their lives and fortunes, in profecuting the war, with the utmoft vigour. The motion was carried, by a confiderable majority. But this good fortune of the Whigs was not deftined to laft long. The Scotifh peers were induced to refume their feats ; and their weight turned again the balance in favour of the miniftry'. The addrefs of the lords, obtained furreptitioufly by the Whigs, Prince Eu- was the laft parliamentary effort of the party againft the con- pointed, de- clufion of the peace. The Prince of Savoy, whofe negociations P^'"' with the minlftry had languiftied into formal memorials and official anfwers, relinquifhed all hopes of the obje£l of his voyage to London. To preferve appearances, Mr. Secretary St. John was commanded to lay before the houfe of commons, a pro- pofition made by the Prince, in the name of his Imperial Ma- jefty, for the fupport of the war in Spain. The meffage repre- fented, that the Emperor judged forty thoufand men would be fufficient for that fervice. That his Imperial Majefty offered to make up his troops, in that kingdom, to thirty thoufand men; and to take upon himfelf one fourth part of the expences of the Spanifti war \ To the great mortification of the Prince, not the » Publications. Annals of Queen Anne, 1712. •■ Journals, Feb. 15. leaft 542 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. lead notice was taken by the houfe of his propofal. The meflage lay, difregarded, on the tabic. He himlelf made preparations for returning to the Continent. But he remained fome weeks after this event in London. The Queen, informed of his fecret intrigues with the Whigs, gave way to all the terrors incident to her fex. She confidered herfelf in the utmoft danger, as long as the Prince remained in England. Repeated meflages were fent, that the Yacht ordered to tranfport him to Holland was ready to fail. She at length became fo uneafy, that fhe is faid to have re- folved to fend away by force a perfon fo dangerous to her repofe '. But the Prince prevented this difgrace, by embarking at Green- wich, on the feventeenth of March ''. (?ongrefs opened at Utrecht. During thefe tranfadions in the Britifli parliament, the con- ferences for reftoring peace to Europe were opened at Utrecht. The plenipotentiaries of Great Britain and France, together with thofe of the States, met, in form, for the firft time, on the eigh- teenth of January. Though the Earl of Strafford and the Bifhop of Briftol had received orders to haften the great work of peace, they were not fufficiently inftrudled with regard to the article of Spain, which muft neceffarily form the foundation of the treaty. This fecret was referved by the miniftry for Mr. Prior, who was expedled in quality of third plenipotentiary from Great Britain. The Britifh plenipotentiaries, confined in their powers, converfed ftill with thofe of France, in the ftile of enemies. They declared, that the articles figned by Menager ought rather to be confidered as propofitions than preliminaries. That they were neither bind- ing on the Queen nor confidered, in the leaft, as binding on the allies. This declaration compofed, in fome degree, the fpirits of the confederates. The Emperor himfelf confented to fend plenipotenti- aries to Utrecht. The peace depended not on that Prince, though the war had been undertaken in his caufe. The confederates, as ' Stuart-papers, 1712. ^ Public intelligence. well QJJ E E N A N N E. 543 well as the French, perceived, that the fate of the treaty was in- volved in the refolutions of the Queen of Great Britain. But an unexpected incident threw, to an uncertain diftance, the tran- quillity that was fuddenly expeded by all the belligerent powers. In the month of April of the preceding year, the Dauphin of Death of the France, the only fon of Lewis the Fourteenth, died, at the age of France, fifty. He was a Prince of a limited capacity, fond of tranquillity, and averfe from bufinefs, as he was unequal to its toils. He was fucceeded in the title of heir of France, by his fon, the Duke of Burgundy; a man of more fire, greater vivacity, and better abi- lities, than his father. But he alfo died, on the eighteenth of February, having furvived, only fix days, his wife, the Dau- phinefs, Mary Adilaide of Savoy. Thefe events, fo fatal to the royal family of France, were followed, in a few days more, by the death of the Duke of Britany, the lafl Dauphin's eldeft fon. They were all buried together in the fame grave. This uncom- mon mortality was afcribed by the vulgar to the ambition and intrigues of the Duke of Orleans. This perhaps was but an idle report. But the profligate pleafures of that Prince had induced mankind to form the worft opinion of his morals. Out of three fons born to the Duke of Burgundy, the Duke of Anjou, a fickly infant, only remained. The misfortunes of France raifed the courage of fuch of the confederates as were eager for continuing the war. The Emperor rofe in his hopes, and increafed his de- mands. The States grew more obdurate. The Britifli ambafia- dors became more cool in their zeal. The miniftry either did not chufe or durft not fend Prior, as third plenipotentiary, to Utrecht. They concurred with the refi: of the confederates, in demanding new precautions for the ftabllity of the peace, and for preventing the crowns of France and Spain from being joined on the head of the fame Prince '. ' M. de Torcy, torn. ii. Swift's four years. 4 NOTWITH^ 544 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Notwithstanding thefe demands, on the part of Great Bri- tain, the miniftry made no fecrct of their refolution to conclude a Alternlti'vej pcace. The lord-treafurer difpatched a Mr. Harley, a relation of oiFered by j^jg ^ j^ Utrccht. He directed the Abbe Gaultier, who ftill taio. refided in London, to propofe different alternatives, out of which the French King might form a propofal, that ought to fatisfy the allies of Great Britain. Harley was charged with the like com- miffion. The plenipotentiaries ftopt the progrefs of the con- ferences. They faid, that he had brought fuch orders as would break off all negociation, unlefs the court of France fhould agree to one of the alternatives offered by the Abbe Gaultier, in the name of the Queen of Great Britain. The memorial of Gaultier reprefented the juft alarm of Europe, fliould the perfon who was actually King of Spain ever afcend to the throne of France. He fhewed that this danger was far from being chimerical, as this Prince was fo near the fucceffion of the latter kingdom. That the only way to prevent the danger apprehended by the confe- derates, was for Philip the Fifth to transfer his right to the Duke of Berry. That, without this expedient, neither the Britifh nation, nor their allies, would ever confent to a peace which •would be, in that cafe, not only unfafe but impradicable ". May- The French King was embarraffed by an incident which he the^French had adlually forefeen. He endeavoured to elude the demands of ^"^ the court of Great Britain. To accomplifh his purpofe, he ad- vanced all the trite arguments ufed by cafuifts, in defence of the hereditary defcent of the crown. In a letter to the Britifh miniftry, he afhrmed, that the King, though fupreme lord of his dominions, has not the power of altering their fundamental laws. That the prince next to the crown was the necelTary heir. That his right is an inheritance which he receives neither from his pre- decefl'ors nor the people, but from the law. That, when one " Mem. de Torcy, torn. ii. Swifi's four year!, 2 King I7IZ. Q^U E E N A N N E. 545 Kine; dies, another fucceeds, without afking the approbation or ^ ^] J^ ^- requiring the confent of any perfon. That he fucceeds, not as heir, but as mafter of the kingdom ; the fovereignty of which belongs to him, not by choice, but by birth-right. That he is obliged, for his crown, to no will of a prior king, to no edift, to no liberality in another perfon, but to the law. That this law is efteemed the work of him who eftabliflies monarchies. That God alone can break this firft link in the chain which binds toge- ther the community. That this law can neither be invalidated by agreement, nor rendered void by renunciation. That, fhould the King of Spain renounce his right, for the fake of peace, that adl would only deceive himfelf and difappoint the allies ''. Mr. Secretary St. John correfponded with the court of Ver- concerning J J J- hereditary failles upon this fubjedt. He returned an anfwer lefs complicated "ght. and more decifive. He admitted, that the French nation might hold, that God alone can abolilh the law of fucceifion. But that in Britain moft men were of another mind. That the moft fcru- pulous, on this delicate fubjedt, believed that a prince might forego his right, by a voluntary refignation. That the perfon in whofe favour the renunciation was made, might be juftly fup- ported by the princes who fhould happen to be guarantees of the treaty. That, in fhort, the Queen of Great Britain would put an end to all negotiation, unlefs the French fhould acccept of the ex- pedient propofed. That it was neither her defign nor inclination to deprive Philip either of the title or power of King. That fhe wifhed, upon his refignation of the crown of Spain, to preferve his right to that of France, and to place him on another throne. That Naples, the territories of Savoy, the duchies of Montferrat and Mantua, fhould be ere<3:ed, for him, into a kingdom. That Spain and the Indies fhould be conferred on the Duke of Savoy, in ^ De Torcy, torn ii. Vol. II. 4 A place S4^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, place of his own dominions ; and that, upon the event of Phi- lip's acceflTion to the throne of France, the ifland of Sicily fhould be given to the houfe of Auftria '. 17 12. June. King of Spain re- nounces his title to the French crown. Though the French King amufed St. John with arguments in favour of hereditary right, he wrote to his grandfon to defire him to accede to the propofals of Great Britain. That Prince, after a delay fuitable to the gravity of Spanifh councils, refolved to renounce his precarious profpedt of the crown of France, for the certain pofftrflion of the throne of Spain. The Queen of Great Britain, impatient, for various reafons, for peace, ordered the Earl of Strafford to return to London. The avowed obje£t of his jour- ney was to receive his ultimate inftrudtions to conclude the treaty, as foon as the King of Spain's anfwer fhould be received. When his anfwer was, accordingly, received, in the beginning of June, the Queen agreed to a fufpenfion of arms. The conditions of this indulgence to France, was the immediate delivery of Dun- kirk to the Britifli troops ; and the pundtual execution of the article concerning the union of France and Spain. She propofed, at the fame time, that a Dutch garrifon fhould be introduced into Cambray. The French King, deriving fpirit from her eagernefs* rejected this demand, with a degree of difdain. He declared, that he would rather refufe the ceffation of hoftilities and put an end to all negociation, than admit a claufe fo contrary to his own honour and the intereft of his kingdom. The Queen, anxious for peace, receded from her demand. St. John wrote to the Marquis de Torcy, that, to accomplifh the ceffation of arms, he had only to tranfmit the a£l of renunciation to the Duke of Ormond, who had fucceeded Marlborough in the command of the army in Flan- ders ". That the Earl of Strafford had jufl: fet out for Utrecht. That all reftraint, with regard to the confederates, fhould be laid afide; and that the Britifh plenipotentiaries fhould ad, in concert De Torcy, torn. ii. "" Ibid. with QJJ E E N A N N E. 547 with thofe of France, in prcfcribing law^ tb fuch as fhould refufc ^ ^^^ ^• to fubmit to juft and rcafonabie condidorts of peace. 171Z. France owed a change fo great and fo unexpected, to favou- rable accidents more than to her own policy and intrigues. Though Anne lor a Caufe of the anxiety oi peace. the Britifh miniftry had long perceived, that they mufl: either re- linquilh their power or conclude a peace, their late vehemence, in carrying on the negociations, proceeded from their fears rather than from ambition. The Queen, herfelf, frightened at the reaj or fuppofed confpiracies of the Whigs, was anxious to end the war. The fupport given by the confederates to a party whom fhe dreaded, threw her inclinations in the fcale of France ; and fhe feemed even willing to derive protection from a prince whofe power had been fo lately broken by her arms. The fame atten- tion to her own fafety raifed her refentment againfl: the prefump- tive heirs of the crown. She was no ftranger to the dangerous intrigues of the Baron de Bothmar. She knew that fhe had been long diftrufted by the family of Hannover. The apprehenfions incident to hei fex had taken intire polTeffion of her mind. Though fhe probably entertained little afFedion for a brother whom flie had never feen ; though, with a zeal fuitable to her family, fhe was utterly averfe from his fyflem of religious faith, and wedded to her own ; though fhe was as miich afraid of his prefence in Britain as fhe was terrified at the coming of a prince of the elec» toral family; fhe feems to have entered with a degree of warmth into his caufe ". The violence of the Whigs and the imprudence of the Baron Her attach- de Bothmar might have precipitated the meafures of Anne in eventual iuc- concluding the peace ; but there is rcafon to believe, that her *^^^'°" fchemes in favour of the Pretender were prior to her late fears * Stuart-papers, 171 2. Hannover-papers, ,171 J. , 4 A z from HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. from the houfe of Hannover. When Mr. Manager, in the pre- ceding September, had finifhed the bufinefs of his mafter, he is faid ''^'"' to have endeavoured to ferve the views of the court of St. Germains. He firft opened himfelf to Mr. Secretary St. John. He was intro- duced, by his means, to Mrs. Mafham, the Queen's favourite. Two articles of importance were fettled in this conference. The Queen defired to be permitted to difown her brother, to fatisfy the confederates. But flie agreed, that the treaty (hould not be underftood to preclude France from aiding the Pretender, in cafe of her own dcceafe. Mrs. Mafham is faid to have declared, with freedom, the fecrct fcntiments of her miflrefs. She told Mena- ger, that the Queen reckoned it an unhappinefs to poflefs the throne of her brother. That Ihe had a fecret uneafmefs on that head. That this was not all her misfortune. That (he was obliged, againft her difpofition and principles, to promote mea- fures calculated to exclude her own family, for ever, from the throne ; and that fhe would be inexpreffibly happy to be delivered from the neceflity of doing fo much wrong ^. of the Pre- Mrs. Mafham, at the fame time, declared, that though the tender to the _ ' ' ° throne. Queen wiflied to promote her brother's intereft, (he could fix upon no meafure of ferving, effedlually, his caufe. That though a majority of the better fort were attached to the hereditary defcent of the crown, the common people entertained a mortal averfion to a Popifh fucceffor. That it was utterly impoflible to enter into any treaty, without confirming the fettlement of the crown in the Proteftant line. That fhe had no hopes but fuch as arofe from the moft Chriftian King. That fhe wiflied to relieve that Prince from every obligation of not afTifting her brother, in cafe of her own demife. That fhe could not truft her plenipo- tentiaries. *' But fure," faid fhe, " fome referves may be made, for the time to come ^" Sentiments expreffed with fo little *> Stuart-papers. ' Ibid, 4 referve. ^A X / -;QJJ E E N A N N E. TP, I H 549 referve, to a foreigner, could not have remained a fecret to the C H^ P. IX. 1712. Queen's fervants. Such of thefe as had principles of the fame kind were impreffed with fears like her own. An intelligence fo favourable to their views was foon conveyed to St. Germains. The Pretender infl:ru£ted his adherents, in both houfes of parlia- ment, to forward the meafures of tlie crown. He was no ftranger to the principles of the Earl of Oxford. But he hoped, that the bad treatment he daily received from the agents of the court of Hannover, would, at length, induce him to oppofe their views, or, at leaft, foften the oppoiition of that minifter to his interefl '. The Queen was extremely fenfible of the fervice rendered to His party af- her meafures by the Pretender's adherents '. Though fhe had ''!|''^^™'- created twelve new peers, the majority for government in the houfe of lords was fo flender, that every vote was liable to acci- dents. When, upon rejeding the Duke of Hamilton's patent, the peers of Scotland abfented themfelves, the Whigs carried a difagreeable addrefs from the upper-houfe to the throne. The efforts of the treafurer, though he was fuppofed to have offered weighty arguments upon the fubjedt, was not fufficient to recall the refraftory Scots to their duty in parliament. Many of them were, from principle, attached to the Pretender. Refentment liad roufed others to a determined refolution of oppofing all the meafures of the Whigs. A kind of refcript from the court of St. Germains fent them back to the houfe of lords ' ; and the op- poiing party loft all the benefit v,rhlch they hoped to derive from their ihort-lived vidory. The fame influence was extended to the houfe of commons, where it was lefs neccfTary '. The Earl of Oxford was no ftranger to the fupport he received from the Jacobites. He refolved, therefore, to encourage outwardly their views. He admitted the agents of the court of St. Germains into his converfation and intimacy. His myfterious character ■J Stuart-papers, 1712. ' Ibid. » Ibid. ' Ibid. 550 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. gave an air of importance to h's very nods and infinuatlons. He ' u > could, therefore, deceive a race of men blinded by an cnthufiaflic ' "' zeal ior their own caufe. The Lady Mafham, adopting the in- clinations of her miftrefs, was much in the intereft of the Pre- tender. Her friendfhip for Oxford had long fince declined. She wrote to M. Menager, on the fecond of March, that the affairs of the court of St. Germains had fallen into the hands of the treafurer ; and that he would value himfelf upon deceiving their hopes, and difippointing all their views '. He writes to The Pretender himfelf, it mufl: be confeffcd, never believed that the Earl of Oxford was fincere. But he knew, that to op- pofe that minlfter was to throw the whole into the hands of the Whigs. The lord-treafurer flood on a dangerous precijice. He was dctefled by both fides. The Whigs talked of afTaffination and death. The Tories threatened to deliver him over to the rage of his political enemies. In the midft of this fecret ferment, the Chevalier de St. George wrote to the Queen. He told her, that, in the prefent fituation, it was impofTible for him to remain longer filent. He put her in mind of the honour and preferva- tion of her own family. He afTured her of his eternal gratitude^ fhonld fhe ufe any efficacious meafures toward his eventual fuc- cefTion to the throne. He promifed, he faid, the beft to himfelf from her good-nature and humanity. He was ready to agree to whatever fhe might chufe to propofe for her own interefl, which he reckoned infeparable from his own. The Queen was too prudent, or, perhaps, too timid, to make any anfv/er to this let- ter. But her inclinations -tvere fu^.ciently k'-.own. She even expreffed her terror, that France would not let him efcape from her hands. The example of M. Fourbin, who refufed to land him in Scotland in the year 1 708, was produced as a prefuraptioa " MSS. paffim. that QJJ E E N A N N E. SS^ that the Fiench King was refolvcd never to part with a' pcrr-n ^ ^ ^ ^* who might hereafter favour hib own defigns '. ' ■- ' '712. Notwithstanding this anxiety in the Queen, her fears "nificeof from the court of Hannover feeai to have weighed more with her Oxfoj-d. mind, than her aifedion for her brother. The intelligence* which had been induftrioufly conveyed to her ears, concerning domeilic confpiracies and foreign invafions, had even removed, for a time, her objections to tiie Popery of the Pretender. Urged by the Jacobites, and the moft violent of the high-church party, flie is faid to have refolved to lay before the parliament tlie fecret pradlices of Prince Eugene, and the dangerous fchemes of the Baron de Bothmar. The principles of the Earl of Oxford had been highly ferviceable to the interefts of the Eledoral family. Though the idle projed of [an invafion proceeded from the indif- creet zeal of his minlfter, the Eledtor himfelf had avowed openly his difapprobation of the condudl of the Britifli court. The de- figns of the Whigs, if thefe could be proved, might, by impli- cation, be carried home to his Highnefs by his enemies. What- ever the event of the inquiry might have been, the difcuffion of a matter fo delicate would prove extremely difagreeable to the Eledloral family. A nation ever fubjedl to extraordinary panics from plots and confpiracies, might be roufed to a dangerous re- fentment, upon very weak grounds. The Earl of Oxford forefaw thefe difficulties, and he dexteroufly prevented the fcheme propofed, for laying an account of his difcoveries before the parliament. To foothe the violence of the Pretender's ad- herents, he made a fnew of entering, with fome zeal, into his caufe ; and, by infinuating that his fucceffion to the throne could not be prevented, contrived to ferve efFedtually the interefts of the houfe of Hannover ''. » Stuart-papers, 1712. y Stuart papers, April 1712. The 552 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. The Earl of Oxford, not content with having judlcioufly V— — .^ — -^ prevented an inquiry in parhament concerning the intrigues of He deceives the confederates and Whigs, had made every ufe of his dif- ihe Jacobites, coveries to harten the great work of peace. Though he difap- pointed Phinket, in not encouraging his intrigues in Holland, he had the addrefs to render that Jefuit fubfervient to his views. He was no ftrangcr to the clrcumftance, that Plunket's vigilance in deteding the fchemcs of his enemies proceeded from views of ferving the caufe of the Pretender. He therefore employed him in communicating to the court of France the difcoveries which had been made, and the confequent refolution of Queen Anne to conclude a feparate peace. To pleafe the Jacobites, he held forth a fpecious tale to that impatient and credulous race of men. He infinuated, that the Pretender could not be immediately ferved, on account of the watchfulnefs of the Whigs, and the unfur- mountable prejudices of the vulgar againfl: his family, and efpe- cially his religion ; but that there was a fixed refolution formed of keeping a good correfpondence with France, to enable that kingdom to favour his pretenfions to the Britifli throne. That it was now in the power of the French King, by clofing with the wiflies and demands of the Queen of Great Britain, to impofe what terms he pleafed upon the confederates, of whofe ingrati- tude and condud fhe had juft grounds to complain \ The Queen DuRiNG thefe fecret tranfaftions in Britain, the daughter born ^ace. to James the Second, in his exile, died of the Imall-pox at St* Germains. The Pretender himfelf had fallen ill, with fuch danger- ous fymptoms of the fame diforder, as deprived his friends of every hope of his life. The fears of Queen Anne for her own perfon and authority increafed in proportion to his danger. The proofs which fhe had received of the defigns of the Whigs and confe- derates had made a deep imprefhon on her mind ". She thought ^ Stuart-papers, May 1712. * Stuart-papers, pafEoi, 1712. herfelf (^U E E N ANNE. 553 CHAP. IX. ' , ► 1/ iz. herfelf defencelefs and alone, fhould the check of a pretender to the crown be removed, from the fiippofed views of the family of Hannover, whom flie was taught to regard in the light of ene- mies and rivals. But though thefe were her inclinations, the fame happy timidity which gave rife to her anxiety, prevented her from entering, with efFcdlual eagernefs, into her brother's caufe. She refled all her hopes upon the court of France. She hoped, from the gratitude of Lewis the Fourteenth, for the re- pofe which flie alone could beftow, a fupport againfl; the fchemes of the confederates and Whigs. Urged by thefe and fimilar motives, fhe could no longer hide her anxiety for peace. In the moment that fortune, by the demlfe of the Dauphin and his fon, threatened to throw back Jhe houfe of Bourbon into all the perils of a difaflrous war, they were fuddenly relieved, by the timidity of the Queen of Great Britain. The miniftry, roufed by terrors for themfelves, were equally eager for breaking, by a feparate peace, the power of the confederates. Thus every thing confplred to extricate France with advantage, and a degree of reputation, out of a war that once threatened the dilTolution of her monarchy. On the fixth of June, the Queen came to the houfe of lords. She lays ihe and made a fpeech from the throne. She obferved, that though ^''^ the making of peace and war was the undoubted prerogative of the crown, fhe was refolved, in confequence of her promife, to communicate to her parliament the terms of the treaty, before the fame fhould be concluded. That, with regard to the concerns of Great Britain, the French King had agreed to acknowledge her title, and the eventual fuccelTion of the family of Hannover to the throne. That the works and harbour of Dunkirk Ihould be demolifhed, Gibraltar and Portmahon remain in the polfcfTion of Great Britain ; that the ifland of St, Chriflophers fliould be ceded, the Streights and Bay of Hudfon reflored, the ifland of New- Vol. II. 4 B foundland, 554 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. •• IX. 1712. foiindland, with Placcntia, delivered up, and all Acadia or Nova- Scotia yielded for ever to the Britifli na:tion. That the trade-and commerce of Great Britain fliould be fettled in the bed and moft permanent manner ; and that the afliento or contract for furnifli- ing the Spanifh Weft-Indies with negroes, fhould be granted to the fubjeds of Great Britain, for the term of thirty years. before her parliament. With regard to the States-General, fhe told them, tliat France had agreed to almoft the fame barrier that had been offered in the negotiations of the year 1709. That the Spanifli Low Countries were to be fecured to the Emperor. That the Rhine fhould be the barrier of the Empire ; that Brifac and the fortreffes of Khel and Landau fhould be ceded; that the Proteftant intereft in Germany Ihould be fettled on the plan of the treaty of Weftphalia. That, on the fide of Italy, the kingdoms of Naples and Sardinia, the duchy of Milan, the Spanifh territories on the Tufcan fliore, fhould be yielded to the houfe of Auftria ; that the fate of Sicily remained ftill undecided ; but that all difputes were for ever re- moved, with regard to the cefTion of that ifland by the Duke of Anjou. That the difference between the barrier demanded by the Duke of Savoy, in the year 1709, and that offered at prefent by France, was very inconfiderable ; befides, that fhe herfelf was endeavouring to procure for his Royal Highnefs ftill greater ad- vantages. That, in return for all, Spain and the Weft-Indies were to remain to King Philip ; but that, to prevent the union of the crowns of France and Spain upon one head, that Prince was to renounce for ever, in the moft folemn manner, all pretenfions to the French monarchy ^ Arguments againil This fpeech was received by the nation, as individuals were attached to one or other of the parties, that ftrove for the manage- ment of public affairs. The adherents of the Whigs affirmed. * Journals, June 6, 17 iz. that, QJJ E E N A N N E. SSS that, fhbuld thefe conditions of peace be accepted, they could not ^ ^^ ^' .perceive why the war was at all begun. That the grand confede- v — ^ - ■ »> racy was intended to deprefs the exorbitant power of France, by ' the acceffion of a Prince of the houfe of Bourbon to the throne of Spain ; but that, by the prefcnt treaty, that power was left in •the fame ftate as when hoftilities commenced. That the renuncia- tion of Philip, offered as a fecurity, was rather a matter of ridi- cule, than any ferious propofal. That the promifes and oaths of Princes were but weak obftacles in the way of their ambition. That France herfelf had been fo juft as to own, that any agreement of a Prince to break the fucceffion of a crown was nugatory, as being contrary to the fundamental laws of the kingdom. That, fhould King Philip think himfelf bound by his own renuncia- tion, neither his pofterity nor the French themfelves would allow that he had a power to extend the obligation beyond his own life. That, however infignificant the rights of monarchy might appear to the people of Great Britain, who had broken the line of fucceffion in their own country, the thing was regarded with another eye in France, where the defcent of the crown was deemed the firft link of that great chain which kept together the vafl body of the monarchy. On the other fide, it was affirmed, that, fince the commence- and for the ment of the war, the face of things was totally changed ; that France, broken by a feries of uncommon misfortunes, had ceafed to be dangerous; that, as the ftate of affairs was now, frefh ex- pedients and meafures were not only proper, but even neceffary. That when the war began, King Charles the Third was only a titular monarch, without a revenue, without power, and v/ithout importance. That the cafe was now much altered, as that Prince had obtained the hereditary dominions of the houfe of Auftria, together with the Imperial crown. That it would be the height of folly to revive, in the perfon of the prefent Emperor^ the power 4 B 2 which 556 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, •which endangered Europe in the days of Charles the Fifth. I ^ — ' That, fhould the confederates refolve at any rate to place the '^'^* crown of Spain on the head of the Emperor, the fuccefs would at beft be doubtful. That it would be extremely idle, and highly impolitic, to throw away blood and treafure on an undertaking, which, by being accomplifhed, would deflroy that very balance for which the maritime powers had fo long contended with the houfe of Bourbon, That, as to Philip's renunciation, though a flender thing in itfelf, it derived great force from the efforts of thofe who were to enjoy its benefits ; that, as matters were fituated, the beft means had been ufed for anfwering the end for which the war began ; that there wa? at prefent but a bare pofll- bility that the fucceflion of France fhould fall to the fhare of the King of Spain ; but that there was a certainty of prefent danger, from the union of the Spanifti monarchy to the power of the houfe of Auftria, ftrcngthened by the influence derived by that family from an uninterrupted poffeffion of the Imperial crown. The com- j^ the houfe of commons, an addrefs of thanks was voted, fiionsvotean ,.„ . • c t> 111 i- 11 ddrefs of without one diilcnting voice . cut the lords adjourned the bufmefs to the next day ; and, when they m.et, fell into warai debates. Though the Whigs affeded to defpife the articles of the propofed peace, thefe were well received by the body of a nation already groaning under the burden of an unprofitable war. The terms were deemed by the difpaffionate favourable to the kingdom. In the treaty of the year 1709, upon which the ex- cluded party highly valued themfelves, no fpecific advantages to Great Britain were propofed. In the prefent, flie had not only obtained a fecurity to her commerce, but even an acceffion of territory. The truth is, that the whole was very inadequate tc^ the expence of the war, and unfui table to its uncommon fuccefs. No doubt can now be entertained, that, had the confederates^ ' Journals, June 6, 1712. continued 3' thanks, 1712. QJJ E E N A N N E. ssj continued to prefs France on the fide of Flanders, but the crown ^ ^ J^ ^^ IK.* of Spain muft have been relinquiflied by the houfe of Bourbon. But it is extremely doubtful, whether the Britifh miniftry were acquainted with a circumftance, which the French only owned when the feafon for redreffing the evil was paft. The oppofition in the houfe of lords, defpairing to prevent the addrefs, endea- voured to clog it with an amendment. They propofed an addi- tion to the motion for obtaining the guarantee of the Allies to the treaty : but, upon a dlvilion, it was rejected by a great majority ^ A proteft, entered by feveral lords, upon this queftion, was, after a warm debate, expunged out of the books of the houfe '. Their approbation of the articles of peace was the Lift bufinefs Other tranf- of importance tranfadled in this feffion of parliament. Belides the great bufinefs of the treaty, and the confcquent contefts of parties on that fubje£t, fome other affairs, that deferve to be men- tioned, fell under difcuffion in the two houfes. 7 he a£l for a general naturalization of all foreign Proteflants was repealed ^. This law, which had been palfed by the Whigs when in power, had been always odious to the high- church party. They faid, that as mofi: Proteflants abroad differed from the church-govern- ment eftablifhed in England, fo the naturalizing bill was cal- culated to increafe the number of Dillenters in the kingdom* But, after the furmifes of a projected invafion were carried to the miniflry, one other eilential reafon was added to the former, for repealing the a£l. The party affirmed, that when that law fub- fifted, no importation of foreign Proteftants could be deemed illegal; that a foreign Prince might become, when he pleafed, mafter of the kingdom, by fending judicioufly his fubjedls before him into a country where they became denizens, at the expence of a fhilling a head, the common price of an oath to the govern-* ment. That, fhould fuch a Prince, which was likely to be Iboa ' June 7. « June 13. ' Feb. 9. the W HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ?Y^ ^' '•^^ ^^^^^ afcend the throne of Great Britain, he might, without IX. J any breach on the laws of the kingdom, enflave the nation with an army of his native fubjedls. 1712. inenc. ofpariia- The repeahng of the a£l of naturalization was confidered by innnf- I. U / the DifTenters in the light of an attack upon themfelves. But this was not the only invafion on their eftablifhcd opinions, of which they chofe to complain. The commons, in their attach- ment to the church of England, extended their proteftion to the epifcopal clergy in Scotland. A bill was introduced, for granting a toleration to all fuch as fhould ufe the liturgy of the church in that part of the kingdom. The thing feemed fo reafonable, that no oppofition was made. But a claufe in the bill required the civil magiftrates to execute none of the fentences of the judi- catory of the church of Scotland. The Prefbyterians were alarmed at a circumftance, that annihilated their ecclefiaftical authority. The bill, however, pafled with little oppofition in either houfe. It was followed by another, which was contrary to the Prefbyterian principles. The courts of judicature ia Scotland were commanded, hj an acl, to dlfcontinue their fit- tings, during fome days at Chriftmas, though the obferving of holidays is contrary to the tenets of Prefbytery. But the moft "mortifying adt of all, was that for reftoring patronages, which had been abollflied in King William's reign. In vain was it urged, that fuch an invafion on the church of Scotland was a breach upon the union of the two kingdoms, by which the rights of Prefbytery were unalterably fecured. The bill palTed with little oppofition, notwithftandlng the complaints and petitions of feveral of the Scotifh clergy '. Campaign of While thc nation were in a ftate of fufpenfe, with regard to 1712 Inaftivitj Ormond. 1 7 1 2 inaaivity of the negotiations carried on between Great Britain and France, the s Burnet, vol. iv. confederates Q^U E E N A N N E. 559 confederates took the field in Flanders. The Prince of Savoy had received a reinforcement of Germans, that increafed the army to the number of one hundred and twenty-two thoufand men. The Duke of Ormond, who had fuccceded Marlborough in the com- mand of the Britifh forces, and fuch troops as were in Britifli pay, arrived in the camp near Douay, in the end of April. That nobleman found himfelf extremely uneafy in the high ftation in which he was placed. He had carried orders from the Queen to hazard, by no means, a battle, unlefs he perceived an apparent and great advantage. He was fcnfible of the extreme difficulty of executing fuch undecifive orders, and, at the faihe time, of concealing the real motive of his condudl from the penetrating eye of the Prince of Savoy. He, however, refolved to obey her Majefty's commands, and to prevent, as much as poffible, the caufe of his condu(3: from being even fufpeded ''. The flrong fituati(^ of the French army, under the Marefchal de Villars, who had polled himfelf behind the Scheld, had induced the Duke to hope that no adtion could happen. The Prince of Savoy, however, finding that the enemy had not occupied with entrench- ments the fmall fpace between the fource of the Somme and that of the Scheld, made difpofitlons for attacking Villars. His defign was to decide the fate of the war by a battle, or to force the French to retire, and to leave Cambray expofed to a fiege. He communicated his intentions to the Duke of Ormond, on the twenty-eighth of May. His Grace declining to give an imme- diate anfwer, confirmed the Prince in the fufpicions which he had for fome time entertained. The deputies of the Slates fent an immediate account of Ormond's inadivity to the Hague. The States fent an exprefs to the court of Great Britain. The Whigs brought the affair into the houfe of lords. But the miniftry were neither moved with the reprefentations of the Dutch, nor the * M. de Torcy, torn, ii. majority 56o HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C HA P. majority of the peers perfuadcd by the clamours of the excluded 1712. party Confterna- DuRiNG this ftatc of altercation and fiifpenfc, the Prince of tion of the r 1 \ c ^^ r • r confederates, Savoy rcfolved to fit down before Qiiefnoy. This fiege was but of fliort continuance. The town furrendered after a v/eak de- fence, and the garrifon were made prifoners of war. The fpirits of the confederates, deprefled by the inadlivity of Ormond, were greatly exalted by this fuccefs. But as the propofed ceflation of arms between Great Britain, and France was no longer a matter of mere fufpicion, the former dejeclion of the allies returned. They pretended to make no doubt, but that all the troops in Britifh pay would follow the Britifli forces. They dreaded, that the Marefchal de Villars would take advantage of the feparation, and attack the Prince of Savoy. The States, in particular, were afraid of a terrible reverfe of fortune, at the end of a profperous war.' Their plenipotentiaries at Utrecht reproached the Bifhop of Briftol with the odious condudt of his court. They perceived themfelves ex- pofcd, in a delencelefs ftate, to the vengeance of an enemy whom they had treated with haughtincfs and cont3mpt. They exag- gerated the perils of their condition. They even mixed threats with exprclTions of defpair. But their former courage returned, wheil they underftood that the foreign troops io the pay of Great Britain refufed to follow the Duke of Ormond. Intrigues of This mcafure, fo diiTrefsful to the Briti(h miniftry, proceeded with'thT"^'' from the affiduity of the Duke of Marlborough. That nobleman Dutch. wrote to the Penfionary Heinfiug, and the Prince of Savoy, to hinder the foreign troops from obeying the Duke of Ormond. He hoped to prevent, by this contrivance, the French King from delivering up Dunkirk to the Britifh forces. That circumftance, which was likely to happen, would infallibly raife the clamours ' Journals. Publications of the Times. of 1712. QJJ E E N A N N E. 561 of the populace againft the miniftry, terrify the Tories in parlia- ment, and give a plaufible pretext to the Whigs to fend the authors of the inefFefl:ual peace to the Tower. The Duke, in conjunction with the Lords Halifax and Somers, propofed another fcheme, more decifive in its confequences, but lefs eafy to be accom- pliflied. They advifed the States to affift the Ele(n:or of Hannover to pafs with a force into Great Britain. Their projedt was to fpread a report, that the Pretender, at the inftigation of the mi- niftry, was preparing to invade the kingdom with a French army ; and, at the fame time, to declare in a manifefto, that his Eledoral Highnefs was arrived, to fecure the fucceflion of the crown in the Proteftant line ". They affirmed, that the people, alarmed for their religion and liberty, would flock round his ftandard ; and that the Queen, like her father, would make her efcape to France. This plaufible project is faid to have been tranfmitted to the Princefs Sophia. But the lefs violent Whigs are reported to have advifed her clandeftinely to refufe her con- fent ; an that meafure might furnifh the Tories, already averfc from the interefts of her family, with a pretence for altering the fucceffion '. The refufal of the foreign troops to obey the Duke of Ormond The auxii;- transferred the perplexity of the other confederates to the Britifh ^oUll ^he court. They had agreed with the French, that the Queen's Duke of Or- troops, confifting of twenty-five battalions and ninety-four fqua- drons, fhould feparate themfelves from the army under the Prince of Savoy. But when Ormond communicated his orders for that purpofe to the generals of the auxiliaries, they refufed to obey. One battalion and four fquadrons of the Duke of Holftein, and two fquadrons of Walef's regiment of dragoons of the country of Liege, were the only foreigners that feemed ready to follow the Britifh general "". The intelligence was received in London by * Stuart-papers, 1713. ' Ibid. "■ Ee Torcy, torn, il. Vol. il 4 C different kirk 5»2 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. different perfons, as they were varioufly inclined to the con- tending parties. The joy expreffed by the Whigs was un- ^ ^' bounded. The indignation of the Tories was equally excefllve. Reports were fprcad, that a delign was formed by the Prince of Savoy to difarm the Brltifli forces, and to confine the Duke of Ormond. This queftion had certainly been agitated at the con- fults of the malecontenvs with Prince Eugene, in the rnoilth of February ". But whether it was ever intended to be put in exe- cution, is rather to be fufpedled than proved. The French The rcfufal of the auxiliaries to obey his orders, reduced the liver upDun- Duke of Ormond to a flate of the utmolt perplexity and uneafi- nefs. He delayed his march, till he fhould receive pofitive com- inands from his court. The minifiiry were thrown into a degree of conlternation, by frefh complaints on the fubjed; from the French King. They had loft the confidence of the allies. They had fallen under the diftruft of the court of Verfailles. The prin- cipal terms of the ftipulated cefTation was the delivery of Dun- kirk, and the immediate confirmation of the renunciation made by King Philip, of his eventual fucceffion to the crown of France. Lewis the Fourteenth informed the Queen of Great Britain, that he underftood the propofed cefTation to be general between the two armies. That, fhould he even fatisfy himfclf with a parti- cular cefTation, he wifhed to be underftood, that all the troops in Britilli pay fhould quit the reft of the confederates. That, till this condition fhould be fulfilled, he thought proper to fufpend his orders for admitting the Britifh troops into Dunkirk. Mr. Secretary St. John foon removed this difficulty, by the exprefs orders of his miftrefs. He wrote to the Marquis de Torcy, that the Queen was refolved to unite herfelf eftedually with France, to defeat this laft effort of men, who, to fatisfy their private refent- ment, wifhed to protrad the calamities of war. That, to fhew " Stuart-papers. De Torcy. Swift's four Years, the 3 Q^U E E N A N N.Aciii 563 the firmnefs of her mind and fmcerity of her intentions, fhe had ^ ^^ ^^ commanded him to fignify to the minifters from thofe Princes ' ^ whofe troops were in the Britifh pay, that, fhould they pcrfifl to feparate themfelves from her native troops, they fliould expedt no more of her money °. That pofitive orders were, in the mean time, fent to the Duke of Ormond, to feparate the Britilh forces from aUies that neither deferved nor fliould receive her fupport. The court of France were too eager for a tranquillity that was They, how- fo necefl'ary to their affairs, not to fuffer themfelves to be con- andafufpen- vinced by St. John's letter. They forefaw, that the confederates, is°decla^ed' upon being deferted by Great Britain, would either ferioufly think of peace, or become fubje£l to a fudden reverfe in war. Orders were immediately difpatched for delivering Dunkirk to the Britifh troops. The obftrudtions experienced already by the Duke of Ormond induced the minlftry to place the fate of the peace in a kind of independence upon accident. They fent Sir John Leake to take the command of the fleet in the Downs. They ordered him to provide tranfports for carrying troops to occupy Dunkirk from Great Britain. On the eighth of July, Brigadier Hill took pofTeflion of the place. Two days before this event, the Prince of Savoy feparated himfelf from the Brltifli troops, and fat down before Landrecy. The Duke of Oi-mond, di- reding his route to Avefne le Seiq, declared, at that place, a fufpenfion of arms. In his march toward Ghent, which city, together with Bruges, he intended to occupy, he was refufed by the confederates a pafl'age through Bouchain. He was treated with the fame difrefpciSt and diftrufl: by the . garrifons of Douay, Tournay, Oudenarde, and Lifle. Qn,ith,e tiwelfth pf July, the Duke took poflefiion of Ghent, and, foon after, ipf Bruges ; and thus, by commanding the navigation of the Lys and fltr • M. de Torcy, torn. ii. 4 C 2 Schcld, 564 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. Scheie!, became the umpire of the operations between the con- 171 tending armies ''. The allies The good-fortunc of the confederates ceafed at the feparation Denain. of the Britifh forces from their army in Flanders. The happy rafhnefs of the Duke of Marlborough, in the preceding cam- paign, had rendered the Prince of Savoy, the only rival of his glory, more enterprifing. Having opened the trenches before Landrecy, he placed a body of his troops at Denain, to favour the pafTage of his convoys from Marchiennes ^. His own camp was fortified, and independent of infult. But the Marefchal de Villars, however, had the addrefs to render the Prince afraid of being attacked ; which induced him to weaken the body of troops commanded by the Earl of Albemarle at Denain. That lord's force, at laft, confifted of fourteen thoufand men. Villars, having made a feint of advancing towards his right, on the fide of Landrecy, turned fuddenly to the left, and arriving at Neuville in the morn- ing of the twenty-fourth, threw at once three bridges acrofs the Scarpe. The Prince of Savoy, apprized of the unexpefted march of the enemy, haftened to the lines between Denain and Neuville. He reinforced the Earl of Albemarle with fix battalions. He went in perfon to haften the march of his right wing. He had fcarce quitted the lines, when they were entered, almoft without refiftance, by the Count de Broglio. Four battalions of Palatines and other German auxiliaries threw down their arms and fled. The whole French line, having paflcd the Scheld, were led by Villars againft the camp of the Earl of Albemarle. He marched up to the enemy, without firing a fingle fhot. He entered the intrenchments, cut thofe who refifted to pieces, and forced the furvivors to fly. But their retreat was cut off by the precaution of the French general, who had occupied a bridge, which they had built behind, on the Scheld. p Publications of the Times, « Hift. d'Angleterre. Th£ Q^U E E N A N N E. i t| ^^ The lofs of the confederates was confiderable, in an adion G H A P. IX which decided the fate of the war. One thoufand were flain" in »___.J > the engagement and flight. Fifteen hundred were drowned. i^J-J/n'ro. Two thoLifiind five hundred fell into the hands of the vidiors. ^"^^^ ^^ . France. Many officers ot great diltinCtion were taken, killed, or loft in the Schcld. The Prince of Savoy had the mortification to arrive when his friends were incapable of receiving relief. He attempted, in vain, to force the bridge occupied by the French. This, how- ever, was only the beginning of a long chain of misfortunes. Marchiennes, where all the magazines of the confederates were depofited, was taken, in three days. Prince Eugene, inftead of annoying the enemy, was not able to defend himfelf. He raifed the fiege of Landrecy. Douay ', Quefnoy ', and Bouchain ', were . fucceffively taken, in his fight. The taking of Marchiennes, in depriving the Prince of the means of war, enabled the enemy to profecute their operations with vigour. A fuccefs fo uncommon and fo unexpected elevated the French beyond meafure. The joy of the Britifh miniftry was equal, but lefs obvious, than that of the court of Verfailles. They were glad to fee the haughtinefs of the Whigs humbled, their hopes dlfappointed, their oppofition to the peace, as it were, punifhed in a fignal manner, their affeded con- tempt of their own nation, fince they ceafed to be commanded by a general of their party, all revenged by a defeat, which could not fail to be followed by confequenccs fatal to their views '. The fignal events of this campaign were confined to Flanders. Campaign In No enterprife of confequence was undertaken, no adion of re- ^-P^'": '"'>'• nown happened on any other fide of the war. In Italy, the Im- ^^'^. "" tt.e perialifts befieged and took Porto Hercole. In Spain, the Count de Staremberg, though delivered from a formidable enemy by the death of Vendome, attempted nothing important. King ' Auguft 27. ' Sept 23. ' oa. 7. " Hiil-. d'Angleterre, Hill, de France. Kane's Mem, Philipj 566 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Philip, having a near profpecl of peace, permitted the war to languifh on his fide. In Dauphine and Savoy, the fummer was ''"^* fpent by the contending armies in obferving each other's motions. An inadivity, which bore every appearance of a pei-fc£t tran- quiUity, prevailed on the frontiers of Portugal. The Duke of Wirtemborg, who commanded the army of the Empire on the Rhine,' formed a projed, toward the end of the campaign, to force the lines of Weiflembourg, and to penetrate into Alface. Having detached two bodies of his troops, by two different roads, they were deceived by their guides, and, meeting in the night, charged one another as enemies, and returned, in the utmoft confufion, to their own camp. Thus ended, in misfortune and difgrace, the operations of a war, which had covered the arms of the confederates with fo much renown ". Tendency The difappointmcnts on the part of the allies diminifhed theh* toward a peace. hopes. But the time for putting an end to the war w^as not yet arrived. The Queen of Great Britain herfelf, though ihe ap- peared anxious for peace, endangered the fuccefs of that meafure, by peremptorily infifting upon the ceflion of the kingdom of Sicily in favour of the Duke of Savoy ^. Mr. Secretary St. John, who had been raifcd to the peerage, on the feventh of July, by the title of Vifcount Bolingbroke, had demanded that article, in terms more likely to create a quarrel, than to facilitate the con- clufion of the negociation. But when the court of France was embarraflfed about the anfwer moft proper to be made to his Lord- fhip, he informed them, by letter, that he was commanded by the Queen to go in perlon to France. He accordingly arrived at Paris, in the end of the month of Auguft. His inftrudions fur- nifhed his Lordfhip with full powers to bring the negociation to a fpeedy conclufion. But this power was annexed to the indif- penfable condition of obtaining Sicily for the Duke of Savoy. " Hift. of Europe. Hid. de France, toni.iii. ^ M, de Torcy, torn. ii. The Qjj E'"lf 1^" X'n N E. 's^7 The Queen of Great Britain exprefled a particular attention to ^ ^^^ ^• that Prince, which might be confidered unaccountable upon any ■ ' 1712 other grounds, than her deeming his family, after herfelf and the Pretender, the next in blood to the fuccefTion of the crown, upon the ancient form. But though fhe infifted upon obtaining an immediate kingdom for the Duke, her principal objed in his favour was the eventual fucceflion of the houfe of Savoy to the throne of Spain, after the failure of King Philip and his pof- terity. This fudden refolution offending Bolingbroke to France pro- BolJngbroke ceeded from the earneftnefs for peace exprefled upon every occa- France. fion by that lord. He had advifed the Queen to prefer a feparate treaty to a fufpenfion of hoftilities, as the moft certain means of obviating the difficulties which the enemies of peace oppofed to a fimple ceflation of arms. The example of Great Britain, he affirmed, would be foon followed by the confederates. The Kings of Portugal and Pruffia, he faid, as well as the Duke of Savoy, and the Dutch, were too prudent to continue the war after the feparation of fuch a powerful ally as Great Britain ; and, fhould the Emperor and empire facrifice their convenience and intereft to their refentment, he aflTured her, that they would foon drop a conteff: which they could not maintain with any eff^e£l. The Earl of Oxford oppofed the advice of Bolingbroke, to avoid giving ofi^ence to the Eledor of Hannover. Though he was attached from principle to that Prince, he was apprehenfive of being called to an account whenever he fhould afcend the Britlfh throne. This event feemed to be at no great diftance, as the Queen daily de- clined in her health. This was the caufe of all thofe delays and uneafmeffes which might have been prevented by a definitive treaty between Great Britain and France. This condud: was ex- tremely impolitic in the minifter, as it gave an appearance of timidity to his meafures ; a circumfliance which expofed him to all 56S HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. c ^^ P- all the machinations and intrigues of his own enemies and thofc IX. * ^ ' of the peace ''. 1712. Terms fcit'ed When Bolingbroke arrived at Paris, he entered into conferences auddVroicy. "With the Marquis de Torcy on the object of his embany. The two minifters, poflefled of unlimited powers from their refpedtivc courts, foon agreed : That the Duke of Savoy and his defcend^nts fliould be called to the throne of Spain, in default of King Philip and his male pofterity. That this fubflitution fhould be inferted in all the public a£ls, with regard to the renunciation of Philip's right to the crown of France. That the renunciation itfelf fhould be regiftered in the books of the parliament of Paris, and admitted folemnly by the cortes or ftates of Caftile and Arragon. That the cefTion of Sicily to the Duke of Savoy fliould for the prefent re- main a fccret for various reafons. But that he fhould never be fuffered to alienate that ifland for any other territory. The article of the barrier to this favoured Prince was not fo eafily fettled. The French minlfter refufed to grant more for that purpofe thaa Exilles, Feneftrelles, and the valley of Pragelas. This whole affair was therefore referred to the general congrefs at Utrecht, The two fecrctaries of Great Britain and France having fettled thefe terms, the Vifcount Bolingbroke had an audience of the French King. He was received with the utmoft politenefs by that Prince ; and was treated by the whole court with a refped: fuitable to the earneft defire of the kingdom for peace. The cefTation of arms was prolonged for four months ; and Bolingbroke, having left Prior to manage the affairs of his nation in France, returned to London, highly fatisfied with the fuccefs of his embaiTy *. States eager The change of affairs In Flanders had rendered the confede- for peace. j-^tes fenfible that they were incapable to maintain the war fhculd Great Britain defert the grand alliance. The Dutch, who had > M. de Torcy, torn. ii. Stuart- papers, 1712. ^ M. de Tore/, torn. ii. mofl 7 I7IZ. Q^U E E N A N N E. 569 moft to lofe by a continuation of hoftllities, were the firft who ^ H a I'. ferioufly thought of peace. The defeat at Denain, the fubfequent misfortunes, the difappointment of the projects of the Prince of Savoy, had blafted their hopes and humbled their pride. Their eyes were opened to the true fiate of their affairs. They defcended at once from that haughtinefs with which they had been infpired by i^e fuccefs of the war. Inftead of prefcribing terms to the houfe of Bourbon, they folicited the good offices of Great Britain, for renewing the conferences, which had been long interrupted by their own obftinacy. They dropt their pretenfions of receiving all the anfvpers of the French plenipotentiaries in writing. The latter, therefore, agreed to renew the conferences, upon condition that the Queen of Great Britain's fpeech to her parliament fliould he admitted as the plan of the treaty. The minifters of the other allies were alarmed at the pufillanimity of the Dutch. Count ZinzendorfF, the Imperial miniftcr, repeated his exhortations and promifes. He aflured them, that the Prince of Savoy was on his march to fight Villars. That he was fure of vidory. That, as there was no rifk in fufpending the conferences, the States ought to temporize, by waiting for the refult of events '. ZiNZENDORFF prevailed. The conferences under various pre- ^n incident tences were delayed. But when time brought no favourable Ihe^coT-^* change, the Dutch fell into their former fears. They redoubled '^^'^"^^'• their folicitations for the renewal of the conferences of Utrecht. A filly quarrel between the fervants of M. Menager, one of the French plenipotentiaries, and thofe of the Count de Rechteren, deputy of the province of Overyflel, interrupted again the great work of peace. The French King took advantage of the folly of Rechteren, as it was not his interefl: to confer with the allies till he had fettled his meafures with the Vifcount Bolingbroke. The pretence itfelf was plaufible. He infifted that the States fliould ' Swift's Four Years. De Torcy, torn ii. Vol. II. 4 D declare 570 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^Y^ ^* declare whether Rechteren followed their orders in his infolent u , -, — ^> condu£t, or whether he had purfued the di M. de Torcy, torn, ii, the 1712. Q^U E E N A N N E. 571 the great objed of the States, was alfo ncceflary to their barrier. Though Lewis had refolvcd to retain Tournay, he yielded pru- dently to her requeft. He found, that by the bad ftate of the Queen's health, there was reafon to fear fhe might die in the midft of an unfinifhed war. He knew that the miniftry muft fall with her life. That their enemies and his own would again poflefs themfelves of the whole power of the kingdom. That a Prince, who had declared himfelf averfe from peace, was to mount the throne, and was likely to renew or rather to continue the war '. This prudential concelTion of Lewis the Fourteenth, fmoothed Secret view* t c I'l in-iir oF the Queen the way tor a treaty which was not deftmed to be foon concluded. But though the clandeftine meafures, for reftoring peace, employed much of the time of Queen Anne, a part of her attention was turned to views that were dill more fecret. Thofe who were moft about her perfon, perceiving her inclinations, urged her perpetually with regard to the intereft of the Pretender. She feemed willing to favour his views. But fhe perceived obftacles in his way, which he himfelf had not the ftrength of mind to remove. In her own attachment to the church of England, fhe fignified her inclinations that the Pretender fhould relinquifh Popery, and place himfelf in a capacity of being ferved. When fhe was urged, by the Duke of Buckingham, to endeavour to break the fucceffion in the Proteflant line, her anfwer, though it conveyed a regard for her brother, was fuitable to good fenfe and prudence. " How can I ferve him," fhe faid, " my Lord ? He makes not the leafl; flep to oblige me, in what I moft defire. You know a Papift cannot enjoy this crown in peace. But the example of the father has no weight with the fon. He prefers his religious errors to the throne of a great kingdom. How, therefore, can I "^ M. de Torcy, torn. ii. 4 D 2 undo S-ji HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, undo what I have already done ? He may thank himfelf for his ^— ^^ — —< exclufion. He knows that I love my own family better than that •^'^" of any other. All would be eafy, fhould he enter the pale of the church of England, Advife him to change his religion, as that only can change the opinions of mankind, in his favour "." wi h regard THOUGH Buckingham had affurcd the family of Hannover, to the Pre- '=' . . - . tender. that he had been perfecuted by the Whigs, for his attachment to the Proteftant fuccefhon % he conveyed this intelligence to the court of St. Germains. He, at the fame time, feconded the requeft of the Queen. But his arguments were loft on the Pre- tender and his fervants. Though that unfortunate Prince, was in no danger of becoming an apoftle, like his father, he was, per- haps, equally attached to the Romifli faith. Under a pretence, that his converfion would be deemed infmcere, he evaded the. requeft of his friends. He affirmed, he had fo little prejudice, againft the religion of his country, that he intended to carry aTong with him to the place of his exile, a Proteftaut clergyman, to officiate to his Proteftant fervants. That when he fliould be •permitted to return to Great Britain, he would be ready to hear fuch arguments as might induce him to change his prefent faith. That it was even the intereft of England to have a Prince on the throne, whofe religion would leflen the power which the confti- tution had placed in his hands. That, as he was ready to relin- quifti, during his own time, the prerogative of nominating Biftiops, and of appointing clergymen to livings, no danger could , be apprehended by the eftablilhed church. That he was willing, the prefent tefts, fo far as they regarded Popery, ftiould continue j. and, as he entertained no prejudice againft the doctrines of the church of England, he was ready to have no fervants but fuch as were of the Proteftant perfuafion \ •> Stuart-papers, 'Jiily' 17 1 2. « Kannover-papers, paflim. ^ Stuart papers, 1 71 2, These Q^U E E N A N N E. ^73 These profeflions might be honeft; but they were an irrefra- chap, gable proof of weaknefs. A man who relinquiflied his hopes of a ■_ . - .7 great kingdom, for a fpeculative tenet of faith, difcovered a de- Reflexions, grce of enthufiafm that ought never to be trufted. Infincerity itfelf is lefs a crime in a prince than folly. He who wifhes to govern nations, muft rule them through their principles ; other- wife his government becomes a tyranny, and only lafts as long as it is not oppofed. Among a people accuftomed to monarchy, the Sovereign only is capable of fhaking his own throne. To differ from his fubjects, in their religious opinions, is almoft the only prerogative which he may not, without danger, employ. Of all mankind, he has the lead right to be fmgular in his faith. If he is not willing to go to heaven in the fame way with his people, they will fcarce acknowledge the legality of his authority on earth. That public affedion, which is the chief fupport of his throne, muft be changed for fufpicion and jealoufy. A mutual difiruft prevails, which will foon degenerate into that unforgiving averfion, that invariably follows a difference of faith, in feeble minds. When fociety is even m.ellowed down into an indifference, which borders on infidelity, the worft confequences are to be expeded and feared. Indignation againft the weaknefs of a bigot will, even then, fupply the place of religious zeal ; and violence itfelf becomes jufl:, in a certain degree, when it is oppofed to folly. The generality of the Tories, in their vehement zeal for the The Tories hereditary defcent of the crown, overlooked the attachment of teadei^^'^' the Pretender to the Popifh faith. Afraid only of the violence of the common people, they recommended to him to make a fhow of changing his religion. They affured him, that fliould he declare himfelf a member of the church of England, without the formality of a public converfion, they would endeavour to obtain the repeal of the adt of fettlement, in the prefent parliament. That,. 574 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. That, hovvevei", the Pretender could not be mentioned in the new IX. %— v-1 — ' law. That the difpofal of the crown, according to the precedents '^'"" of former times, flaould be vefted in the reigning Queen. That, however, flie mufl; be reftri(fled to leave her throne to a Proteftant. That, as her afledion for her brother was not to be fufpeded, they had no apprehenfions of her not making a" will in his favour. That, in the mean time, to obviate every danger of difappointment, he fhould be permitted to live in Scotland. That they expected, from his own prudence, a moderate comportment, during his fifter's life. That, confidering the bad ftate of her health, the pofleffion of the crown could be no diftant objedl ; and that an outward compliance with the forms of worfhip efta- blifhed by law, in Great Britain, was only wanting to the com- pletion of the whole defign ^ to change hit Though the hopcs of the Tories were too fanguine to be fo 'E'oi- ygj.y eafily accompliflied, there was a degree of good fortune in the religious obftinacy of the Pretender. Had he been lefs pre- judiced, or, perhaps, more dillioneft, he might, at this period, break, or, at leaft, greatly endanger the fucceflion of the family of Hannover to the crown. Though men of diftindtion and eminence have afcribed the fuccefs of the Revolution and Pro- teftant fucceflion to their own abilities and patriotifm, the benefits of both were derived from the happy zeal of the common people for the eftablifhcd religion. Though the excluded family were guilty of many follies, they were only odious on account of their Popery. A popular cry againft their bigotry, which was far from being ill-founded, was more fatal to their hopes, than the act of fettlement. The moft zealous of their abettors were unable to flop this torrent. When they planned their meafures, in fecret, for the reftoration of their favourite line of Kings, they were ter- rified from all their fchemes, by the clamours of the populace. ' Stuart-papers, 1712. Thofc, QJl E E N A N N E. 575- Thofe, therefore, wlio wifhed, at this period, that the Pretender fhould change his religion, were his befl: friends. Without re- conciling the lower fort, in fome degree, to his perfon, by his adopting their faith, it is extremely doubtful, whether the abro- gation of the a£t of fettlement, the zeal of his fifter, or the efforts of all his friends, could render him fecure upon the throne \ But though the Whigs fufpedled thefe fecret intrigues, and P'''|?^°^ conveyed infmuations concerning them to the public, with many aggravating circumftances, they were not able to gain the people to their views. They affirmed, that by a fecret article of the fepara^e peace between Great Britain and France, Scotland was to be immediately ceded to the Pretender '. They carried their fur- mizes, with unabated diligence, to the prefs. But there they met the enemy upon difadvantageous ground. The Earl of Oxford had the good fortune to be fupported, before the public, by able and perfevering writers. He owed this circumflance, like his power, to the ftate of the times, and neither to his own liberality nor condudt. The dangers of domeftic confpiracies, from the Whigs, and even of an invafion from abroad by the confederates, were inculcated with vivacity and force. Though no effedlual meafures for carrying into execution either of thefe defigns, had been taken by the difcontented, they failed more from the want of opportunity than inclination. The excluded party, and efpecially the Duke of Marlborough, who ftill preferved an in- fluence with the Dutch, continued to urge the confederates to continue the war. They were even faid to have eagerly fuggefted an attempt, fimilar to that which had proved fo fuccefsful at the late Revolution. They affirmed, that the fleet and army were both averfe from the Queen's meafures ; and that a change in the- * Stuart-papers, 1712. ' Stuart- papers, July 1712. throne,-. houfeof'Han- nover. 576 • HISTOHY' OF GR'EAT BRITAIN. throne, and confequently an alteration of meafures, might' be'' accompliflaed, without drawing the Iword ^. 1712. Oxford pays DuRiNG fchcmes, -formed by the two parties, the Earl of vain, to the Oxford purfued a fecret line of his own. Perceiving the declin- ing health of the Queen, he was anxious to ftretch beyond bp" life the term of his power; or, at leaft, to infure his fafety. To this point was direded all his care and attention, in times fuffi- ciently agitated with more important concerns. To accompliA his purpofe, he endeavoured, by deceiving the court of St. Ger- mains, with his myfterious condu£t, to gain the favour of the houfe of Hannover '. In both he was equally unfuccefsful. The Jacobites formed fome hopes, on the neceffity of his fituation, but none upon his attachment to their caufe. The Eledloral family, fwayed by tbe mifreprefentations of the Whigs, became infenfible to all his fubmifhons and earneft profefTions "". To folicit their good opinion, he had ordered Mr. Thomas Hariey from Utrecht to the court of Hannover. To befpeak a favourable reception, Hariey carried to the Princefs Sophia the ad, paflfed in the laft fefTion of parliament, for fettling the precedence of her family, as the next heirs of the crown of Great Britain. Hariey, who from the ftation of an afhftant to the fecretary of the treafury, was, thus raifed to the charader of ambaffador-extraordinary, arrived at Hannover, in the month of July- If he was charged with any thing but profefTions of attachment from the minifter, he had not the good fortune to fucceed. The Elector continued, with all his influence, to oppofe the peace ; and made, at the fame time, no fecret of his diftrufl of the Queen and her princi- pal fervants. Duke of With regard to the latter, the Eledor was certainly deceived. po^intedTinr But a doubt can fcarce be formed, that Anne herfelf was extremely baffador to France. k Stuart-papers, July 1712. ' Ibid. " Hannover-papers. 2 averfe QJJ E E N A N N E. 57; averfe from the fucceffion of his Highnefs to the throne. She ^ ^ J^ ^* was no ftranger to the attachment of the lord-treafurer to the » . — ^ houfe of Hannover. She knew that Bolingbroke had never brought any principle in competition with his own intereft. She was refolved to trufl neither, in an affair which feems to have engaged the greateft part of her thoughts. With a natural jea- loufy of her own authority, fhe decUned to gratify the Jacobites by cahing her brother into the kingdom. But (he was extremely anxious to fettle, with France, fome plan to fecure his eventual fucceffion, after her own death. To accomplish her purpofe, fhe had, very early in the prefent year, fixed her eyes on the Duke of Hamilton, as a proper perfon to be fent ambaffador to the court of Verfailles. Bolingbroke, who managed the treaty, hitherto, fruftrated this defign, by taking that province to him- felf, in the preceding fummer. But, foon after the return of that nobleman from Paris, fhe appointed the Duke her ambaffador- extraordinary to the French King. An accident, fatal to the Duke of Hamilton, difappointed at He is unfair- once the defigns of the Queen and the hopes of the Jacobites, iuel'. from his embafly. The Duke and the Lord Mohun, a man of an infamous charader", who had been twice tried for murder, had been engaged in a tedious law-fuit, for many years, the circum- flances of which had kindled between them, the mofl bitter animofity and enmity. Being both prefent at the examination of witneffes, at the chambers of a mafler in chancery, Hamilton threw a kind of refledion on one of the perfons examined, which feemed to glance at the Lord Mohun. His Lordfliip, urged by one General Macartney, a perfon attached to the Whigs, and efpecially to the Duke of Marlborough, fent a challenge to. the Duke ; and they met, in Hyde-park, in the morning of the fifteenth of November. Hamilton killed his adverfary, on the " Swift's four laft years. Vol. IL 4 E fpot. 578 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, fpot, though he himfelf was wounded. When, faint with the y——^ — ' lofs of blood, he was leaning in the arms of his fecond, he is faid '''^* to have been barbaroufly ftabbed in the bread by Macartney ° He died, in a few minutes, in the field. Macartney made his efcape. A proclamation was ilTued againft him by the privy- council. The Tories afcribed the Duke's death to the malice of the Whigs. The Queen was terrified. The populace were va- rioufly afFeifted ; and the writers of government accufed, in open terms, their political enemies of murder ^ Duke of The current running violently againft the AVhigs, upon thir qutts the occafion, the Duke of Marlborough, who was, perhaps unjuftly, kingdom, accufed of being privy to the challenge, thought proper to retire from the kingdom. The Earl of Oxford is faid to have em- braced this favourable opportunity, for ridding himfelf of an enemy whom he had reafon to fear. He informed his Grace, that he was well acquainted with his correfpondence abroad, and his intrigues at home. That he knew of his fecret applications to the States, his clandeftine mcafures to induce the troops to defert the Duke of Ormond, his fecret defigns againft the government, his dangerous confults with the Prince of Savoy. That he had long been no ftranger to his correfpondence with the court of St. Germains. That he had been apprized of his negociations for felling a peace to France, on a former occafion ; and his pre- fent projed for invading the kingdom with a foreign force. That, notwithftanding the proofs in his hands, he meant nothing lefs, than to feek his life or to ruin his fortune. That, however, for his own fecurity, he muft requeft his Grace to quit the king- dom, as the only means to put an end to his own fufpicions and the fears of the Queen \ They had a meeting on this fubjed at the houfe of Mr. Thomas Harley ; and Marlborough left London, • Swift's four laft years. Examination before the council. » Publications of the Times. ^ Stuart-papers, 1712, 1714. on QJJ E E N A N N E. 57^ on the twenty-fourth of November. Having pafled from Dover chap. to OHend, he was received with diftinguiflied honours by all '.. -.-■_/ the Dutch garrifons, on his way to Antwerp, where he fixed his '^'^' refidence. ; The death of the Duke of Hamilton made way for the Duke ^^^^ of of Shrewfbury, as ambaffador to the court of Verfailles. The fem w ""^"^ jealoufy of the lord-treafurer is faid to have raifed his Grace to ^'^""" this dignity. Both Shrewfbury and Buckingham were much attached to the caufe of the Pretender. They had great influence with the Queen, and they led the cabinet-council. To remove them from office was beyond the lord-treafurer's power. Yet they were great checks upon the execution of his own defigns. He apprehended from Shrewfbury, though a Jacobite, no danger in France ; as the timidity of his charader was a fufficient fecu- rity againfl his principles. Though the peace with the houfe of Bourbon was not formally concluded, afts of confidence and friendfhip had pafTed, for fome months before, between them and the court of London. The Lord Lexington, having been ap- pointed ambaflTador- extraordinary to Philip the Fifth, had arrived at Madrid, in the middle of Odober. The profefTed bufinefs of Lexington was to be prefent at the King of Spain's folemn renun- ciation of the crown of France, for himfelf and his pofterity ; which ceremony was performed in the prefence of the council of Caflile and Arragon. Philip, in return to the embalTy of Great Britain, ordered the Marquis de Monteleone to repair to London in a public capacity. No Prince could owe more to another, than the King of Spain to Queen Anne ; and, therefore, the politenef's of the ambaffador was expreffive of his matter's gratitude '. Whilst the war in the Wefl of Europe was haflening to a AfFairf period, that in the North and Eaft was carried on with various ' Publications of the Times. < 4 E 2 turns 5^0 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, turns of fortune. The obftinacy of the King of Sweden detained ' him ftill at Bender. His kingdom was prefTed on every fide by '7'^* powerful enemies. His intrigues at Conftantinople effectuated various changes in the Ottoman miniftry. In the year 17 ii, the Turks, by his influence, declared war againft the Ruffians. An army of one hundred and fifty thoufand men paffed, in fcven columns, the Danube. They advanced to the fouthern bank of the Pruth, eleven leagues from the mouth of that river. The Ruffians, led by Czeremetoff, under whom the Czar ferved in perfon, in quality of lieutenant-general, had the imprudence to fuffer themfelves to be furrounded, in a narrow pafs formed by the Pruth. Peter was now in the fame defperate condition with Charles himfelf at Pultowa. But though he was equally unfor- tunate, he was more prudent. He defired to capitulate. He ftrengthened his requeft with large prefents to the Vizier. He obtained advantageous terms, when he had nothing to expert but misfortune. Charles, who had declined to attend an army which he was not fufFered to command, hearing of the fituation of the Ruffians, haflened to the Ottoman camp. He arrived jufl in time to fee his mortal enemy relieved from his diftrefs. He reproached the Vizier. He demanded a detachment for purfuing the Czar. He could obtain nothing. He returned, in a furious manner, to Bender '. eftheNortli. The Czar, unexpededly relieved from his misfortunes on the fide of Turkey, refolved to turn his whole force againft the king- dom of Sweden. The Kings of Denmark and Poland entered Pomerania with their united forces. But their fuccefs w^as not an- fwerable either to the fears of the Swedes, or their own expeda- tions. Having fat down before Stralfund, they could make no im- preffion on the place. They attacked Wifmer, with no fuccefs. They retreated to their refpedive dominions, and clofed the cam- ' Hift, du Nord, torn, ii, 4 paign pTTA.f Q^u E E N ANN E. "^^'^^^ S§t paign of 171 1 with difgrace. In the fummer of the prefcnt year, the King of Denmark turned his arms againft thedutchy of Bre- fceiit'- He crofled the Elbe, with a numerous army. He fat down '^' before Stade. His troops, in the mean time, held Wifmer ia blockade. The Swedifh general, Steinbock, aflembled his army, fortified Stralfund, and came to battle with the enemy. Though the Danes had all the advantage of fuperior numbers, and of the weather and ground, they were totally routed and put to flight. The unfortunate King Staniflaus had the fatisfaftion to be prefent- in an adion where his allies acquired fo much renown '. 17:;;. i'jTHE affairs of Great Bitain confifted more of the fecret in- Progrefs to- trigues of parties, than of tranfadtions that commanded the atten- ral peace!"*" tion of the public. The hopes of the adherents of the Pretender, and the jealoufies of the friends of the houfe of Hannover, were encouraged and fomented, with great induftry, by the violent leaders of both fides. The year 171 2 clofed with the arrival of the Duke d'Aumont, as ambaffador from the court of Verfailles to that of London. Though the defedion of Great Britain from the grand alliance promifed a certain end to the war, the progrefs toward peace was made but by very flow degrees. The refolute condud of the Britifh miniftry gradually overcame the delays of' the allies. The Earl of Straff"ord, repairing to the Hague, with orders from the Queen to fettle a new barrier-treaty with the States, induced the Republic to accede to the plan of pacification fettled between Great Britain and France. Their example was fuccefllvely followed by the Duke of Savoy and the King of Por- tugal. The firft owed too much to the Queen to oppofe longer her pacific meafures. The latter, already tired of the war, was forced fuddenly to patch up a peace, by a Spanifli invafion of his kingdom. The Emperor, though determined to continue hofl:iT lities, found himfelf incapable of fupporting any military opera- ' Hill, du Nord, Dec. zo, 17 12. tions- 582 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. tJons in Spain. He, therefore, agreed to the evacuation of Bar- v__,r^ — • celona ; and thus, though indiredly, feemed to own the title of 1713. Philip the Fifth \ Secret defigns DuRiNG thefe advances towards a peace, the parliament was ofthc Whiffs* prorogued from day to day. The Queen, daily expeding the conclufion of the treaty, was willing to prevent all further ani-i madverfion on its progrefs from the oppofing party. In this ftate of fufpenfe, a kind of unfettled tranquillity prevailed. The Whigs made in fecret every preparation for opening, with efFed, the operations of the political campaign. Difappointed in their violent meafures, they refolved to purfue the line of oppofition, ift a lefs dangerous and more legal way. The jealoufy which they had raifed in the court of Hannover, continued to diftradt the councils of the Electoral family. Ignorant of the bigotry of the Pretender, they were beyond meafure alarmed at the report of his intentions to change his religion. They were no ftrangers to the felicitations of the Tories to induce him to place himfelf in a way of being ferved in parliament. Should even the report of his converfion prevail, they were perfuaded, that a bill to repeal the a£t of fettlement was likely to be propofed.. They were informed from Paris, that the pretended Prince, by difmifTing his Popifh fervants, was preparing for an alteration in religion. They de- termined, therefore, to ufe every meafure, that prudence could fuggeft, to defeat his defigns on the Britilh throne ". Projeftsof The Baron de Grote, his Eledloral Highnefs's refident at Lon- don, was diredled how to proceed in this delicate affair. He was defired to confult the leaders of the Whigs, particularly the Lord Halifax, upon the fubjed of propofing a bill for excluding the Pretender from the throne, and his pofterity, even though be " Hift. of Europe. Hill. d'Angleterre. Report of the fecret committee, ^'.c. ■ Hannover-papers, 1713. 1713. Q^U E E N A N N E. 583 ihould become a Proteftant. The houfe of Hannover hoped to derive a double advantage from this unneceflary projedl. Should the ad pafs, a material point would be gained. Should the bill be oppofed by the miniftry, that condudl would unmafk them to the nation. They obferved, as a great defed in the ad of fet- tlement, that no claufe was inferted for excluding the Pretender, Ihould he relinquifli the Romifh faith. They averred, that, upon the flighteft appearance of a feigned converfion, the whole fabric, which the Whigs pretended to have reared for the Princefs So- phia, would fall at once to the ground. Thefe fears had made fo much impreflion, that they were willing to be reconciled to the Earl of Oxford, though they diftrufted his principles and views. The Lord Halifax, who was, in fome degree, in his confidence, was requefted to found the treafurer on a point, which was deemed important to the higheft degree ^.■ 'The new ad, for the fecurity of the fucceffion, was not the the houfe of only fubjed that was to employ the embafly of Halifax to the Earl of Oxford. He was defired to difcover his fentiments on the fubjed of a penfion to the Princefs Sophia. A provifion, and even a houfhold to the next heir of the crown, was thought nei- ther an extravagant nor unreafonable demand. In the prefent fituation of the Eledor's affairs, a frefh fupply of revenue was much wanted. His agents every where complained of their too fcanty allowance. The Whigs, with all their patriotifm, were foliciting for penfions '. Some lords, who were zealous for the Proteftant fucceffion, were, it feems, too poor to follow their con- fciences. They had fold their votes to the miniftry. But they would take fmaller fums from his Eledoral Highnefs. The Earl of Sunderland, in his attachment to the family of Brunfwick, had advanced three hundred pounds to one of thefe poor confclentious lords \ The Earl wilhed to fee this fum repaid. Though the y Hannover-papers. Jan. 3—6, 1713. =■ Hannover- papers, 1713. » Ibid. ■ Eledor. 6- ensfpi'i 584 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ?*^r- CHAP. E]e(f\:or might be willing to gratify fuch faithful friends, he Wt6. i_ — . — J reafon to exped that they would help to ferve themfelves. They '''^* were, therefore, defired to promote, with all their influence, the penfion demanded for the Princefs. His Highnefs was no ftran- ger, upon the prefent occaHon, neither to the abilities nor po- verty of the Duke of Argyle. The whole world knew his love of money. He defired that nobleman, and his brother the Earl of Hay, to promote the allowance to the Eledlrefs, as they might exped good penfions to themfelves from that fund ^ Their jea- Xhe bill for eftablliliing the penfion for the Princefs'Sotilifa loufy of the . . Queen and was to fumifh another trial of the intentions of the lord-treafurer. mil" ry. j^^^^ ,^ ^j^^ opinion of the Ele£tor's fervants, no further trial was neceffary. They were already convinced of that minifter's at- tachment to the Pretender. Had his profeffions In favour of the fucceflion been even fincere, the court of Hannover concluded, that he was too far engaged with France and the Queen to retreat. They fuppofed, that his prudence, and even his fafety, dldlated a firm adherence to the caufe of the pretended Prince of Wales. The Queen, they faid, was too much attached to her brother, to be ever brought back to proper meafures. " Should Oxford at- tempt to change her views, he muft fall like Godolphin and Marlborough." He had too much regard, they thought, for his own interefl;, not to profit by the misfortunes of his predecefTors. He muft not, they thought, be trufted. They affirmed, there- fore, that the friends of the fucceffion ought to ruin his power, by expofing his condud to the nation. That no meafure was better calculated for this purpofe, than the new bill of exclufion and the penfion. " But what need have we of further proofs T" they faid. " We have long known that Oxford is irrecoverably devoted to the Pretender. His coufin endeavoured to impofe on the Eledrefs and the Eledloral Prince, with empty profeffions of ^ Hannover-papers, Jan. 27, 1713. zeal. '7«3- Q^U E E N ANN B,^vr.;- 585 2eal. But, though he might deceive them, his treachery could ^ ^^ ^• not efcape the penetrating eyes of the Eledtor." — " Both Oxford and Bolingbrokc," fays Robethon to Grote, " are inviolably at- tached to the Prince of Wales. But the fentiments of thefe two Jacobite lords ought not to be attributed to the memorial of the Baron de Bothmar %" While his fervants entertained fuch fufpicions of the Britifli Eleaorirdif- miniftry, the Eledtor himfelf feems to have become indifferent the fuccef- concerning the fucceflion of his family to the throne. Teazed by '°°' the unmeaning profeffions of the Tories, and harafled by the demands of the Whigs, he dropt all perfonal correfpondence with both parties. He fuffered his fervants to continue their intrigues in London. He liflened to their intelligence. But to the requi- fitions of his Whiggilh friends for money he turned a deaf ear. He was, however, perfuaded, at length, to order fix hundred pounds to the Lord Fitzwalter, to enable that needy peer to repay a debt of three hundred pounds to Sunderland ^ He allowed forty pounds to the author of a news-paper, for conveying to the public paragraphs favourable to the Proteftant fucceffion '. He added ten pounds to that fum, after various reprefentations from his council and fervants. The difficulty with which he was brought to grant fuch trifles, furniihes a ftrong proof that his Highnefs was either difgufted with fuch pitiful demands, or very indifferent with regard to the throne. Whilst the Eledor was haraffed with demands of money Marlborough from London, the Duke of Marlborough fuggefted another article Pr^enTer^*" of expence, from his retreat at Antwerp. He informed his Highnefs of the neceffity of having a fpy in the Pretender's court, to obfervc the motions of that Prince. He offered, for fifty 'Hannover-papers, Feb t- — zi, 1713, ^ Ibid. Feb. 14, 1-15, ' Ibid. Feb. ic, 17:3. Vol. IL 4 V louis- HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. HAP. IX. — . ' 1713. louis-d'ors a month, to find a proper perfon to execute that Im- portant fervice. He took, hi the mean time, a part of this necelfaryt' fundion upon himfelf '. He conveyed fome intelU- gence to the court of Hannover. But his want of information feems to prove, that his Grace was no longer trufted with the fecrets of the excluded family. The fervants and the friends of the Elector were ill informed concerning the Pretender. They were perfuaded, that he was refolved to enter into the commu« nion of the church of England. They heard, that he had left all his Roman Catholic fervants at St. Germains, when he retired to Chalons fur Marne. That none but Proteftants were in his train, but the Earl of Middleton, who had yielded to convenience, more thaw to convidlion, in his converfion to the Romifh faith. Their fears increafed in proportion to their ignorance of the Pretender's bigotry. They could not, for a moment, fuppofe, that he would facrifice his profpe£t of the Britifh throne to a fpeculative tenet of religion ^. The excluded party in Great Britain harafled, at the fame time, the Eledor, with propofals of his invading the king- dom with a body of troops. They fuggefted, that, fhould the Dutch refufe a fquadron of men of war, fome fhips of force might be obtained from Denmark. But the Eledor rejeded the fcheme, as utterly improper, as well as impradicable ''. Secret views of the Pre- tender, and of the trea- furef. During thefe intrigues on the part of the court of Hannover» the agents of the Pretender were equally bufy, and ftill more anxious, in their negociations and intrigues. He himfelf had retired from St. Germai^Sj in the preceding fummer. Having obtained a fafe-condu£t from the Emperor and the Duke of Lor- rain, he now refided at Bar. Though he entertained fufpicions of the Earl of Oxford, upon much better grounds than the houfe of Hannover, he built much on the affe(fiions of the Queen and the zeal of the Tories. The lord-treafurer, however, broke art- ' Hannover-papers, Feb. 21, 1713. t Ibid. March zi. * Ibid. March 7» fully QJJ E E N ANNE. j^'7 fully the defigns of the firft. He fruftrated the fchemes of the ^ h a p/ 1713. latter, by dividing their councils. While the Dukes of Shrewf- u bury and Buckingham remained in the cabinet-council, he deemed juftly that the Proteftant fucceflion was in danger. But he had removed the firft, by appointing him ambafTador to France. The fecond was broken with infirmities, and weighed down with years. Oxford endeavoured, in the mean time, to gain the moft mo- derate Whigs. He laid fchemes for obtaining a moderate par- liament. The fheriffs, pricked for the counties, were of the low-church party. He endeavoured to imprefs the electors with the necefiity of chufing fuch reprefentatives as iliould favour the fucceflion in the Proteftant line. Though he was on the point of lofing the Tories by this condudl, he was fo unfortunate as not to gain the Whigs. While he made the moft vehement profeffions to the EleiSoral family, they were firmly perfuaded, that he was an obftinate and determined Jacobite. Though he was courted by the Pretender, that Prince knew him to be an inflexible Whig. These fecret intrigues on both fides fill a period remarkable Peace of for no public tranfadion. The parliament continued to be pro- ^"^'=''^- rogued, as the tedious negociations at Utrecht had not yet been brought to a clofe. Great Britain, who firft began the negocia- tion, was deftined to conclude the treaty. The Duke of Shrewf- bury and the Marquis de Torcy fettled the plan of a general peace at Paris, which a courier carried to Utrecht, in the middle of March. The Portuguefe and Dutch had already agreed to put an end to their part of the war. Others prepared to follow their example. On the twenty-feventh of March, the lord privy feal and the Earl of Straff^ord acquainted the minifters of the allies, that they had appointed the thirty firft for figning a treaty of peace, and one of commerce, between the Queen of Great Britain and France. They requefted, therefore, the plenipotentiaries of 4 F 2 the 588 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, the confederates to be prepared, at the fame time, to fign their ^ -' _p refpeftive treaties. The conditions of peace to be allowed to the '^'^* Emperor and the Empire had been fettled by the Queen of Great Britain and the French King. Thefe were delivered, in form, to the Count ZinzendorflF, his Imperial Majefty's minifter. But the Emperor, yielding to his refentment, refolved to continue the \s^r,,. .;The Britifh and French plenipotentiaries were the firft who figned for their refpedive fovereigns. Their example was followed, in the fpace of a few hours, by the minifter of the Duke of Savoy, and by thofe of Portugal and Pruflia. The States were the laft who figned the treaty j the French plenipotentiaries having infifted, that the minifters of fuch Princes as their mafter had acknowledged as Kings, fhould take place of the ambafladors of a republic '. ' Swift's four Years, Publications of the Times. Boyer's Queen Anne. «tM '^:. CHAP. QJJ E E N A N N E. M>I 589 t£3tO^ ' d'ri A p. X. IfilOIS' kefleflions on the peace of Utrecht.- Critical fttuaf ion of the lord-treafuver.- He is hated by both parties. His vienvs ind intrigues. ^leen averfe from the houfe of Hannover; '- Parliament meets. Their proceedings. Treaty of commerce exa?nined. Difconte?its of the Scots. Character of the Duke of Ar gyle. -^Motion for diffolving the Union. • '^^^Lord-iiredfurer terrified. Addrcfs againji the Pretender. i^arliament prorogued. Intrigues and diffenfions in the ca- ^'"*-^''^"''-i — Cabal of the Whigs. T'hey demand money., in'vain-y from the EleSlor. Vieivs of the Pretender. Campaign of 1715. A ferment in England. Seditious conduci of the Scots. Affairs of Ireland. Jacobitifm of Sir Confantins Phipps. Diffenfions betiveen the ^leens fervants. In- trigues of BoUngbroke ivith Marlborough. Marlborough cor ref ponds ivith the Pretender.— —Whigs demand money for po9r lords. The friends of the houfe of Hannover defpond'. A general panic. Mr. Harley fent to Hannover. Some Tories join the Whigs. Peace of Raft ad t. Treaty ivith Spain. Parliament meets. Miniftry reform the armyi The EleSlor refifes to gratify the Whig^. Their un~ manly fears. Their conf piracy to feize theTo-wer. Succef- fion voted out of danger. Motions of the Whigs againft' the Pretender Their vain fears.'— —Their fcheine to embarrafs the ^leen. A ivrit for the Ele^oral Prince demanded.-^-^ The ^leen^s anxiety. The EleSlor''s demands.—— Intrigues> of the lord-treafurer. Vieivs of the Pretender. Procla- intition againft hitn. 77?^ ^een endeavours to gain the Elec- tor. Death of the P'rincefs Sophia.— — -State of theininiftryi ' i- Parliament prorogued. Open niptitre among the min'ftryi ■^ ' Conteft: 590 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. 'vienvs. Contejl betiveeyi Bolingbrokc and Marlborongh. Their Dijhii/fion and character of the Earl of Oxford, Death and character of the ^leen. 1713. Obfervatlons and reflec- tions THE peace, figned at Utrecht on the laft day of March, 1713, has been ftigmatized as difgraceful by the moft of thoi'e writers who have recorded the events of the times. The great fuccefs and enormous expence of the war could fuggeft no demands that were not Ukely to be granted, by an enemy re- duced to the lafl extremity. The French nation, unfuccefsful in all their efforts, were broken by difafters. Their fovereign, deftitute of refources for action, became timid and undecifive in his counfels. He had implored the pity of the confederates, in a manner that, by expofing his own weaknefs, contributed to augment their demands. Inftead of deriving fpirit from indig- nation and defpair, the court of Verfailles yielded to thofe un- manly complaints, that deprive even misfortune itfelf of regret. In this untoward ftate of their affairs, the fate of the houfe of Bourbon depended upon the Queen of Great Britain ; and, as the humanity, which ought ever to be extended to private dif- trefs, is frequently facritked to utility in public tranfadions, (he could fcarce be blamed for making a more rigorous ufe of the advantages which fortune had placed in her hands. But though more fplendid conditions might certainly have been obtained, the peace of Utrecht was neither difhonourable nor difadvantageous. Great Britain, it is true, bore the greatefl part .of the weight of the war. But fhe was manifeflly the fole arbitrefs.of peace. She impofed terms on the vittors, as well as on the vanquifhed. Without gratifying the pride of France, fhe checked the infolence of the confederates. She favoured thofe the mofl, who firfl acquiefced in the plan fhe propofed. She treavted with negkd, or punlfhed witji difappwiuABficnt, fach as r : > were I7I3* (TU E E N A N N E. 591 were either obflinate or flow. The advantages which flie ob- tained for herfelf, though neither adequate to her vidories nor her expence, were folid, and even fplcndid. She fecured the dominion of the Mediterranean, by obtaining Gibraltar and Mi* norca. She ftrengthened her limits and extended her dominions in America. She forced France to relinquifh all pretenfions to Newfoundland, to cede Hudfon's Bay, and to yield St. Chrifto- pher's. She obliged the French King to acknowledge the Pro- teftant fucceffion, and to ceafe to protect, and even to abandon the Pretender. She reduced him to the humiliating neceflity of deftroying Dunkirk, whofe very ruins were to remain as a mo- nument of his difgrace. As the lafl: triumph over his pride, fhe terrified him into the greatefl: conceffions to the Duke of Savoy> whom, of all the allies, he hated the moft. With regard to the confederates, the moft of them were o" the peace highly fatisfied, and none had any great reafon to complain. The King of Prufiia obtained all his demands. The Duke of Savoy was recompenfed beyond his moft fanguine hopes. He had obtained the ceflion of Savoy, the diftrid; of Nice, with all that he had received in Italy, from the Emperor Leopold. He was raifed to the regal title and to the throne of Sicily; and he was eventually to fucceed to the crown of Spain, in default of Philip the Fifth and his iflue-mak* The King of Portugal had con- tributed little to the carrying on of the war, and his demands from the peace were few, and, without hefitation, granted,. Luxembourg, Namur, Charleroi, together with the other cities already in their pofleflion, were given, as a barrier, to the States. Their commerce with France was placed on the foundatioa efta- bliihed by the tariff" of. 1664. With regard to the Empire, the Rhine was to form its limits on tiie fide of France. All fortifica- tions, either pofltffed or raifed by the French, beyond that river j. were •7IJ' ford. 594 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. were to be reftored to the Emperor, or deftroyed. The kingdom of Naples and the dutchy of Milan were ceded for ever to his Impe- rial Majefty ; and the reft of the dominions of Italy, that had changed mafters in the courfe of the war, were to return to their former fovereigns. There was a confiderable difference, it muft be confefled, between thefe terms and thofe offered by France in the year 1709. But a change of circumftances may juftify an alteration of fentlments. Without abandoning the projedt of re- ducing the too great power of the houfe of Bourbon, the Britifh ininiftry might allege, that there was an equal neceffity for pre- fcribing limits to the vaft claims of the family of Auftria. Teriious fitu- The lord-trcafurer obtained a triumph over his enemies, by lEari of Ox- concluding the treaty of Utrecht, But he ftill ftood upon very dangerous ground. Diftrufted equally by both fides, he was deftitute of friends ; and his whole fccurity refted in the impla- cable jealoufy of the two parties, who were alike his enemies. In this tottering fituation, he endeavoured to fupport himfelf, by flattering the Tories in private, and by taking publickly the ground of the Whigs. In the political farce, he was, in fome meafure, the fole a£tor ; and the populace were the fpeitators, who were to decide his merit, and even his fate. To the com- mon people, the appeal of the rivals for power had been made, for many years. The terrors of the vulgar for Popery, and their principles in favour of the Proteflant religion, had been the great fupport of the eftablifhed form of government. The bulk of the nation were hitherto favourable to the miniftry. To retain their confidence was a matter of the laft importance to the Earl of Ox- ford ; as, by the triennial adl, the prefent parliament was near its end. The Whigs, to influence the approaching eledions, had propagated, with more afliduity than fuccefs, an opinion, that the Queen and her fervants were irrecoverably in the interefl of 4 i OJJ E E N ANNE. 593 of the Pretender. To prevent the bad confequenccs of this dan- "^ ^' ^ P- gerous impreffion, was a meafure of neceffity ; and it employed « — ^-~-# the whole attention of the leaders of the Tories. ''^''' The boldefl: and the leaft politic propofed the paffing of a fep- He is liatfd tennial bill, as the beft and moft decifive means of fecuring the ties.°" ^^^' continuance of their own power '\ The lord-treafurer was too timid, or, perhaps, too prudent, to follow their advice. He perceived, that a meafure fo unpopular would deprive him of the fupport of the vulgar, and place an uncontrolable power in the hands of the high-flying Tories. The cabinet- council were his enemies. He knew, that the moft vehement of thofe who fup- ported his nieafures in the two houfes, wifhed only for the con- tinuance of their prefent influence in parliament : That, fhould they attain their purpofe, they would be willing to join with his avowed enemies, the Whigs, and to fend him to the Tower '. To amufe the Jacobites, he admitted the agents of the Pretender into his converfation and privacy "". He endeavoured to per- fuade them, that all his meafures tended to the accomplifhment of their wiflies and views. But he had the misfortune to be as little believed by the excluded family, as he was by the legal heirs of the crown. His caution, his flow meafures, his myfterious charader, were by no means calculated to create in others any confidence in his conduct. His only hold of his power, was the afcendant which he had obtained over the Queen. By terrifying that timid Princefs with reports of danger, and by infinuating artfully, that flie could be fafe only in his own hands, he re- duced her into a fl:ate of dependence on himfelf, and generally fubfervient to all his defigns ". It^ one important inftance, her habitual obedience to the ml- uh fecret nifleris faid to have yielded to her prejudices. To fecure hlmfelf [ntrT'uTs'* * Stuart-papers, 1713. ' Ibid. Feb 17 13. ■" Ibid. Feb. 27, 17 13. " MSS. paflim. Vol. II. 4 G with 594 HISTORY OF GREAT RRITAIN. CHAP, •^-ith the populace, the lord-treafurer refojvetj to take the ground C — j— .^ of the Whigs, The danger of the Proteftant fuqcelhon, from the ^^'■^' Queen and her fervants, had been, long a favourite topic wjtl^ that party. They were at great pains to inform the public, that the courts of London and Hannover were upon the very worfl; terms. Though this was a notorious fa' Hannover-papers, 171 3. before 17': CLU E E N ANNE. 597 l^fore 'tne'meftirig w' parliament/^ ^hey now renewed their entreaties with more confidence, as their own condition was more helplefs, and thejundlure itfelf more favourable. They deAred the Prince to take advantage of the Queen's declaration. To feign to believe her fincere, and to come under pretence of return- ing thanks, in perfon. They faid, that without his prefence, they could move nothing effedually in parliament. That they could not even mention the penlion expected for the Prin- cefs Sophia. That the only queftion of party they could propofe» was the removal of the Pretender from Lorrain. " But," fay they, " if the Eledloral family fhall not interfere decifively, the- Earl of Oxford will fave us the trouble of that motion. He has gained the people by the artifice of the Queen's fpeech. He "will alfo fucceed in the approaching eledions ; and eftablifh the. Pretender in the kingdom, as the eventual fucceflbr to ' the. throne ^." While the Whigs were thus difconcerted, the miniftry carried Proceedings . - 'iTi r ■ • T mi 1 ^'f '^^ com-. all their mealures, with little oppolition, m parliament. Though mons. no communication of the treaty had been made to the two houfes, they had returned general thanks for the peace. The commons granted the demanded fupplies \ They reduced the troops and navy, according to the diredions of the court. They gained the army by allowing half-pay to the officers.. They fecured their influence with their conftituents by reducing the land-tax to two fhilllngs in the pound. In the midft of this attention to the nation, they fhewed their attachment to the miniftry. The com- miffioners for examining the accounts of the army made a report that bore hard on former mifmanagements. Some inftances of corruption and embezzlement of public money were deted:ed. But it foon appeared that the houfe v/as more eager to expofe the enemies of the prevailing party, than to punifh the guilty. One * Hannover-papers, 17 13. ' Journals, April 13. William: i7'3- 59S HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. William Churchill, a member, was (lightly cenfured. A vote was pafled againft the Earl of Wharton, for having fold an office for a thoufand pounds. But, as this inftancc of corruption happened before the adl of general pardon, the houfc took advantage of that circumftance, and refolved to proceed no farther in the matter \ Treaty of This appearance of unanimity in the houfc of commons, w^as commerce before the foon interrupted, by an important debate. Though the terms of the treaty had not hitherto been communicated to parliament, the proclamation of the peace, on the fifth of May, had been attended with the loudefl: acclamations of the populace. The nation in general were highly pleafed, that a period was put to a war whofe exceffive weight had rendered them infenfible to its re- nown. The treaty which fettled the ceflion of territories between her Britannic Majefty and the French King, was accompanied by a treaty of commerce between Great Britain and France. Th^ ratifications of the two treaties had been exchanged at Utrecht, on the twenty-eighth of April, On the ninth of May, Mr. Ben- fon, chancellor of the exchequer, delivered to the commons a meflTage from the Queen. She informed the houfe, that though it was the undoubted prerogative of the crown to make peace and war, fhe had refolved from the beginning to communicate to her parliament the treaties fhe had now concluded \ The houfe ap- pointed the fourteenth of May, for refolving themfelves into a grand committee, to confider the eighth and ninth articles of the treaty of navigation and commerce. A converfation, rather than a debate, pafled between the parties, on the treaty of peace. The Whigs found, in the treaty of commerce, the beft ground for op- pofing the court, with any profped of fuccefs. Arguments When the lioufc met, On the fourteenth of May, a motion Snft'h.''' ''^^^ ^"^^^ ^° ^^"^"S ^^ ^ ^^^^ ^° ^^^^ Sood the eighth and ninth * May 16. ' Journals, May 9th. articles Q^U E E N A N N E. 599 articles of the treaty of commerce. A violent debate arofc between ^ ^^^ ^• tlie friends of the minifler and the leaders of the Whigs. The <- — ^— ~/ firft endeavoured to prove, that a great advantage would refult to ' the nation from a free commerce with France. The latter affirmed, that a trade with that kingdom would prove extremely prejudicial to the woollen, filk, and paper manufadories ; and above all, to the commerce with Portugal, which brought an- nually fo much bullion into the kingdom. The friends of the miniftry deduced their arguments from an enumeration of the vafl: quantities of BrltiOi commodities exported to France before the two laft wars. The Whigs averred, that fince the Revolution, the ftate of commerce was entirely changed. That France had fet up and encouraged woollen manufadures of her own. That Britain had learned, in the courfe of fo many years, to accommo- date herfelf without the produd of France. That the French,, having the work performed for lefs money, could fell their goods at a cheaper rate. That, fliould Britain even be capable of bal- lancing her own trade with France, flie could not prevent the latter kingdom from engroffing the commerce of other countries. That the increafe of the trade to Portugal, the moft valuable branch of Britifh commerce, was owing to the high duties,, which amounted to a kind of prohibition of French wines. That lliould the duties on thefe wines be reduced to an equality with thofe on the wines of Portugal, the trade with that kingdom would be loft J as men in general would prefer the wines of France,, when they could be purchafed at the fame rate ^ The adherents of the miniftry advanced arguments equally folid Bill concern^ and conclufive. But when parties are inflamed agamu each ed. other, paflion decides in the place of reafon. Upon a divifion of the houfe, the bill was ordered to be introduced, by a great ma^ jority *. The Whig , adhering to their purpofe of diftreffing the s f?n? io> * rebates, printed. « 252 againft 130. minifler. i;'3- 600 HISTORY OF CrxI'AT BR I x AIM. minlfter, called the prejudices of the nation to their aid. They carried their arguments to the prefs. The lord-treafurer oppofcd them, on the liime ground. But the fate of the bill was not ultimately determined by this public conteft. Many of the Tories, to the laft degree offended at the trimming condmSt of the Earl of Oxford, had rcfolved to join the Whigs, on the prefent occafion, to accomplilh his ruin. Sir Thomas Hanmer, though he had been inftrumental in concluding the treaty of commerce, oppofed it, with vehemence, as the beft ground for affronting the lord- treafurer. He was at the head of a foclety of forty members of the houfe of commons, who called thcmfelvcs the Qdlober-club. This junto refolved to throw their whole weight in the fcalc of the oppofing party; and to terrify the Earl of Oxford into de- cifive meafures for the Pretender. They had frequently requeued him, in vain, to remove the Whigs from the lieutenancy of the counties, the comraiifions of the peace, and the offices of the revenue. He had repeatedly made the moft folemn promifes upon this fubjedl. But though the diffolution of parliament was approaching, he had hitherto done nothing in an affair upon which the fuccefs of the Tories, at the new eledtions, fo much depended '. When, therefore, the bill was brought to a debate, the mofl violent of the Tories, led by Hanmer, oppofed its being engroffed ; and, upon a divifion of the houfe, carried their point, by a majority of nine votes ^ Difconteiits DuRiNG the dependence of this bill, another matter of ftill o t e cois. gj.g^(.gj. importance employed the attention of parliament. The houfe of commons, in renewing the duty on malt, for another year, extended that tax to Scotland. ■ The members for that part of the kingdom, unanimoufly oppofed the meafure. They com- plained, that the duty, in itfelf too great a burden for their country,, was contrary to an exprefs article of the Union between the king- t Stuart-papers, June 23, 1713. « 194 againft 185. doms. '7'3. CLU E E N A N N E. 6oi •doms. That it had been'ftipulated by that treaty, that no duty fliould be laid on malt in North-Britain during the continuance of the war. That, though hoftilities had ceafed, no formal peace was yet concluded with Spain. That, though a paci'iication between the two crowns was no longer a matter of uncertainly, yet it was a maxim in law, that odious things were to be literally underftood. But that matters of favour were to be interpreted with more liberality. That as the tax itfelf was, by the exprefs words of the bill, to be applied to deficiencies in the war, this ad laid an import on the Scots, from which they were evidently exempted by the treaty of Union ''. Thefe arguments made a great impreffion on the houfe. But, on a divifion, a majority appeared on the fide of the bill. The Scotifh members, in both houfes of parliament, were fo much offended, that they met at a tavern, and having appointed two Jords and two commoners to wait, in their name, upon the Queen, they requefted her per- miffion for bringing in a bill for the diffolution of the Union '. Though the Queen exprelTed the greateft uneafinefs at the [^'^^p^,^"^ addrefs of the Scots, they refolved to proceed in their intended Argyle. motion. Several of the Jacobite part of the Tories entered with eagernefs into a meafure, which was well calculated to diftrefs the Eaxl of Oxford. The Whigs, for the like reafon, were ready to throw their weight into the fame fcale. But the perfon who animated the whole oppofition, on this fiibje£t, was the Duke of Argyle. This nobleman, efpoufing the principles or paflions of his family, had uniformly profefled his attachment to the Proteftant fucceflion, and his confequent averfion to a minifter who was deemed to favour the Pretender. Carelefs and eager in his difpofition, he neither concealed his refentment nor dif- guifed his defigns. With a commanding manner, which ftamped •> Burnet, vol. iv. ' MSS. paflim. Vol. II. 4 H hk - 6ot HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. his very forwardnefs with an appearance of authority, he was feared by many, but beloved by none. Brave in his perfon, but *''^" not remarkable for his condud, he might be confidered, in his military capacity, as a bold partizan, rather than a judicious com- mander. In his civil character, his fire degenerated into a vio- lence, that often defeated his views. In his public exhibitions in ■ parliament, he was rather fpirited than eloquent ; better cal- culated to terrify his enemies, than to fupport his friends. His great defeil was a love of money and emolument, which he could not effedually conceal, with all the efforts of his pride ". His ' chief talent was an addrefs in managing the prejudices of the vul- gar. He marked their opinions as they changed, and fell dex- troufly down with the tide. Motion for The Earl of Oxford, no firanger to the importance of the diflblving the rii -i-i • r r ^ Union Dukc of Argyle, had refolved to gam him by promiles of advan- tage. His objeO: was to place him as a kind of fpy upon the Whigs, and to terrify, upon occafion, that party, by his means '. But the Duke declined to enter into the views of the minifter, till he fliould obtain the office of mafler-general of the ordnance* vacant by the death of the Duke of Hamilton. The lord-trea- furer was unwilling to trufl: a place of fuch importance in the hands of a man whom interefh only could gain to his fide. Dif- appointment heightened the Duke's refentraent. He refolved to gain by force what he could not obtain by favour. He oppofed the court with vehemence. He treated the minifler with infult. He therefore entered, with great zeal, into the counfels of his countrymen, for the diflblution of the union between the two kingdoms. To carry a point of fuch great importance, was likely to introduce a confufion into the meafures of government, that would prove fatal to the power of the Earl of Oxford. The refentmcnt of the moft violent Jacobites kept pace with the warmth ^ Hannover aud Stuart papers, 1713.^ ' Stuart-papers, 17 13. and QJJ E E N ANNE. 60^ and vehemence of the Whigs. Both refolved to ruin the lord- ^ 11 a p. treafurer, as each looked upon him in the light of an enemy. They flattered, therefore, the prejudices and fomented the re- fentment of the Scotifh members '. '7»3- On the firfl: of June, the Earl of Finlater, having recounted, "j^ftcd by a ifn the houfe of lords, the various grievances refulting to the iay. Scotifli nation from the Union, concluded with a motion for dif- folving that treaty. Finlater was feconded by the Earl of Mar. The debate became general on this important fubjeit. But the force of argument was lefs apparent, on both fides, than the irre- concilable fpirit of the two parties. The violence of Argyle againft the Earl of Oxford was ultimately ferviceable to that mi- nifter, at the fame time that it contributed to defeat his own defigns. The Duke having, in the courfe of the debate, men- tioned, with the utmoft contempt, the Pretender, offended fomc lords, who fecretly favoured his caufe. Though they were willing to humble the Earl of Oxford, they were averfe from the principles of his more open enemies. Two bifhops, in particular, who pofTefTed, between them, three proxies, by quit- ting the houfe "", carried five votes from the Scots and Whigs. When the queRion for bringing in the bill was put, it was car- ried in the negative, by a majority of four voices. A cir- cumflancc, which preferved the kingdom from confufion, was highly favourable to the Earl of Oxford. Had the motion been carried in the affirmative, it was to have been followed by another, for fending the treafurer to the Tower". The Scots, difappointcd by their want of fuccefs, and incenfed by the fpeech of Argyle, fell again into the views of the court. Thus, the precipitate zeal of one of their own number prevented the W^higs from re- gaining the power that had been fo long the fole objed of their intrigues and defire. ' MSS. 1713. "> MSS. paffim, 1713. " Ibid. Hannover and Stuart papers, 1713. 4 H a The A CHAP. X-. 1713. IjOrd trea- furer terri- fied. 604 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. The defertion of his friends, upon the treaty of commerce anci the motion for diflblving the Union, threw the Earl of Oxford.- into a kind of poUtical defpair. He faw that he was hated hy the Tories, at the fame time that ho was profcribed by the Whigs. The Irreconcilable, animofity of the two parties had been hitherto the only fupport of his power. The predominancy of either was to him alike deftrudive. His prudence was now ih arms againft' his principles. The mofi: diredt way to prefervc his authority, . ■was to gratify the more violent Tories, by abetting the views of the Pretender. But even that obvious path was befet with difli- culties and dangers. Should his meafures afTume the appearance of Jacobitifm, the jealoufy of the people againft Popery might- throw them into the fcale of the Whigs, To retain the favour of the populace, was now as neceffary as to regain the fapport of the Tories. He had, therefore, recourfe to the old expedient of giving private aflurances to the Jacobites, while he marked his public condudl with a zeal for the houfe of Hannover. Thougtl this artifice was too-ftale to deceive the Tories, the Whigs (hewed fuch an intemperate joy for their fuccefs in the affair of the treaty of commerce, that the former refolved to fupport a minifter they hated, to exclude a party whom they had great reafon to fear ". ?roce«a;ngs IMPRESSED With ihis opinion, fuch Tories as had oppofed the raent! '^ treaty of commerce endeavoured to give a proof of their refolu- tion to change their condudl. Sir Thomas Hanmer, by whoie influence the bill was rejected, moved for a palliative addrefs to the Queen, approving of the treaties of peace and commerce. His motion was carried by a great majority ". The Queen's an- fwer was full of art and addrefs. She thanked the commons for their approbation of the treaty of commerce, She ftated its ad- vantages, and the great difficulties witli which it had been ob^ tained. The treafurer, by this vidory over his enemies, became ■> MSS. paffim, yyij, " 156 againft 72. iaor€ QJJ E E N A N N E. 605 more important in the eyes of his party and fiippofcd friends. He refolved to profit by their zeal. On the twenty-fifth of June, a meflage from the Queen was prefented to the commons, by the chancellor of the Exchequer. This meffage imported, that the civil hft, prior to the year 1710, when the late changes in the miniftry happened, had run greatly in arrear. That her Ma- jefty, therefore, requefted the houfe to enable her to raife a fum fufficient to pay her debts upon the funds of the civil lift. As the meflage contained a kind of reflexion upon the former mi- niftry, the. confequent motion was oppofed with great vehemence by the Whigs. But they found, upon this occafion, that their late triumphs were not owing to themfelves. A bill, empower- ing the Queen to raife five hundred and ten thoufand pounds, for the payment of the. debts of the civil lift, pafled the houfe, by a great majority. The Whigs complained, that advantage had been taken of the abfence of many of their party, who had retired into the country when the bufinefs of the treaty of commerce was finiftied *.. The Whigs, fenfible of their own inferiority, had hitherto Addrefs for declined to make any of the motions in parliament that had been prTtendw.' ^ recommended to their party by the court of Hannover ^ The bill for excluding the Pretender, fhould he turn Proteftant, was negledled, as either ufelefs or dangerous. The pcnfion to the Frincefs Sophia was not propofed, though the fuccefs of that meafure might have furnlfhed the Eledlor with an opportunity of enabling fome NEEDY LORDS 1 to follow thcir confcience. To fhew their attachment to the Proteftant fucceflion, or, more probably, to harafs the Queen and her miniftry, who were confidered as averfe from the houfe of Hannover, the Whigs refolved to moye for an addrefs, that the moft prefling inftances fhould be ufed with the Duke of Lorrain to remove from his dominions the Pretender to ■ •Journals. Barnet, vol. iv. f Hannover-papers, 17 13. ^ Ibid. «,o6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. the crown of Great Britain. This motion was oppofed in the houfe of lords by none but the Lord North. The commons voted the addrefs, without one diflenting voice. This fpirit of com- pliance defeated the views of the Whigs. They hoped, that their political enemies would have the imprudence to outvote them in their motion. That this circumftance would, to ufe their own expreffion ', open the eyes of the nation. That the mob, who had hitherto fupported their antagonifls, would change fides, or, at leaft, entertain fuch jealoufies of the Tories, as might be hurt- ful to that party, in the approaching eledions for a new par- liament '. rariiament The addrefs for the removal of the Pretender concluded all bufmefs of importance in the prefent feffion. On the fixteenth of July the Queen prorogued the parliament, with a fpeech from the throne. She thanked, in a particular manner, the commons, for the fupplies, by which they had amply provided for the pub- lic fervice. She hoped, at the next meeting, the affair of com- merce would be fo well underftood, that the advantageous condi- tions obtained from France might be rendered effedual to her people, by law. She exprefled how fenfible fhe was of the af- fedion, zeal, and duty of the commons. She recounted their for- mer fervices. She enlarged upon their late favours. She acknow- ledged her gratitude for their having furnifhed her with fupplies for continuing the war, and for ftrengthening her hands in ob- taining peace. She faid, that, at her coming to the crown, fhe found a war prepared to her hands. That God had bleffed her arms with many victories in that war, which fhe had improved, by procuring an advantageous and honourable peace. She re- qucfted her parliament to make the people fenfible of what they had gained by the late treaties. She entreated them to remove the groundlefs jealoufies, which had been fo induftrioufly raifed. ' Hannover- papers, 1713. ' Ibid. 8 To Q^U E E N A N N E. 6c7 To prevent all unhappy divifions, that might not only weaken, chap. but even endanger the advantages which flic had obtained for her u — .^—j kingdoms. *' There are fome, very few, I hope," flae faid, ''"^' " who will never be fatisfied with any government. Shew, therefore, your love for your country, by obviating the malice of the ill-minded, and by undeceiving the deluded. Nothing can eftablifli peace at home, nothing recover the diforders that hap- pened during the war, but a fleady adherence to the conftitution in church and flate. None but fuch as are true to thefe principles can be trufted. They have the bed title to my favour, as I have neither intereft nor aim, but to fecure the religion of my coun- try and the liberty of my people '.'* The Queen pronounced this fpeech with a kind of energy and whigs dir- vehemence, that fufficiently fliewed the fentlments were her Queen's ' "° own ". The enemies of the miniftry were loud in their com- ^P^^^*^* plaints againft the reflections thrown, from fuch a height, on themfelves. . It was ftrange, they faid, that the Queen, who con- feffedly knew nothing of trade ", fliould pafs a cenfure on. her parliament for rejeding the treaty of commerce. They made exceptions againft the expreffion, that fhe found a war prepared to her hands, as an Infult upon the memory of the late King, They obferved, that, in the whole fpeech, no mention was made of the Pretender, none of the Proteftant fucceffion. But they were moft oifended at the contempt with which flie treated the oppohng party, and the impreffion which flie gave to the nation of their condud: and views. The adherents of the Whigs carried their arguments and complaints to the prefs. The Tories and the miniftry defcended to meet their adverfaries in the fame field* The nation was overwhelmed with eflays, papers, and pamphlets. Aflertions, without proof, were on both fides improved intO' fads ; and a fufpicious people were rendered unhappy, by the « Journals, July 16,. 1 713. ° Publication! of the Times. Burnet, vcl. iv. == Ibid. artifice 6d8 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^x^ ^* ''^'■^'^'^^ ^^^ clamour of contending knaves. The obje£l of the two parties was the fame. — The parliament was difTolved ; and each endeavoured to ferve thcrafelves with the people in the ap- proaching eletStions. 1713. Jntriguesand The fpeech, that gave fo much offence to 'the Whigs, feems the cabinet, to have been fabricated without the advice of the Earl of Oxford. Though he was the oftenfible minifter, he guided no longer the cabinet. When he was, in a manner, profcribed by the two contending parties in parliament, he wa8 violently attacked in the clofet. The Vifcount Bolingbroke, who had, from the begin- ning, traverfed his meafures, had long fixed his eyes upon his power. Having gained the Lady Mafham, by gratifying her paffion for the public money, he infinuated himfelf into the fa- vour of the Queen, by entering, without hefitation, into all her prejudices. The lord-treafurer was equally hated hy both the great parties. The Whigs pretended that he did too much, the violent Tories found that he "had done nothing, for the Pretender. His manner and his opinions were alike difguftful to both fides. With a Ihew of application to hufinefs, he never brought affairs to a period. He heard reprefentations with an appearance of attention. But his anfwers were flight, undecifive, and vague. The Vifcount Bolingbroke, yielding to his own intemperate am- tition, or the natural violence of his charadler, defpifed Oxford, and thwarted his defigns. When a divifion happened among the Tories, before the beginning of the laft feffion, he endeavoured to place himfelf at the head of an independent party ''. The mor- tifications, which the treafurer experienced, proceeded from the machinations of his rival, more than from the inveteracy of his enemies. The treaty of commerce muft be reprobated, as it was THEN fupported, by the Earl of Oxford ; and a breach upon the y Oxford to Queen Anne, June 9, 1714. union QJJ E E N A N N E. 609 ■union of the two kingdoms was encouraged, as it was likely to chap. prove fatal to his power '. \. .^ , 1713. During thefe intrigues in the cabinet, the Whigs continued Secret cabal* their own fecret cabals. In their eagernefs for power, they per- fuaded themfelves that the Proteftant SuccefTion was in danger. They continued their folicitations to the Elector of Brunfwick, to fend to Great Britain the Eledoral Prince. They had repre- iented, in the ftrongeft and mod decifive terms, that the Queen arid her fervants were irrecoverably attached to the Pretender. They threw his Highnefs, in the afl'air of the Succeffion, into a def- pondence, that degenerated intoakindof defpair. He became carelefs and indifferent about a throne, which was reprefented fo difficult to afcend. To humour, however, thofe who called themfelves his friends, he agreed, at length, to fend his brother, Duke Er- neft, to Great Britain. The Whigs, difappointed by this pro- pofal, formed an opinion, that his Highnefs was jealous of the influence which might be acquired by his fon, in Great Britain. They requefted him, therefore, to come In perfon. But he ab- folutely refufed to comply with a demand, that feemed, at once imprafticable in itfelf and inconfiflent with his own dignity *. Though the backwardnefs of the Eledor threw a damp on inritgues his party, his fervants continued, with a degree of eagernefs, a ° ' ^ '^** correfpondence with the Whigs. His Highnefs having pofi- tively declared, that he would not rilk an expedition into Britain in a hoftile manner, prior to the Queen's death, his minifters had begun to take precautions in expedation of that event. They" had fent, early in the year, feveral queries to the leaders of the Whigs. The anfwers which were to form the line of their con- dud, were given, by the lords Somers, Cowper, and Halifax. They declared, that no commiffion, granted either by the Princefs ^ MSS. paffim. " Hannover Papers, 1713. Vol. II. 4 1 Sophia 6io HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. Sophia or the Elector could be valid, fliould thefe be figned and executed during the Queen's life. They declined for themfelves *''•''' to ad upon authorities neither eftablilhed by precedents nor ap- pointed by law. The Duke of Marlborough and General Cado- "•an who fignified their inclination to have the eventual command of the troops, were not fo fcrupulous. They declared, that a writing in French, without any adherence to forms, would be fufficient. That the authority of the Duke of Marlborough was fo great among the foldiers, that any piece of parchment was enough to enfure their obedience to his command. As for Cado- gan, he wiflied only for a fhow of authority to take pofleflion of the Tower, or to place himfelf in conjundtion with the Ele^oral Prince at the head of the Britifli troops, that ftill lay in garrifon in fome cities in Flanders ''. They de- The Whigs had, in the beginning of the year, haraffed the in"v"a1nTom^ Eledtor with demands of penfions for poor lords. They had per- theEieftor. petually teafed his Highnefs for money to political writers and for fpies planted round the Pretender. Though their folicitations on thefe fubjeds had been attended with little fuccefs, they con- tinued to make applications of the fame difagreeable kind. When the fefTion was drawing to a conclufion and a diflblution was forefeen, they demanded one hundred thoufand pounds from the Eledor, to corrupt boroughs, to influence the eledions, and to return men of conftitutional and Whiggifli principles to the enfuing parliament % The magnitude of the fum left no room for hefi- tation in rejeding their requeft. One repulfe, however, was not fufficient either to intimidate or difcourage a party fo eager in the purfuit of their defigns. They diminiflied their demand to fifty thoufand pounds. The Eledor plainly told them, that he could not fpare the money. That he had done the greateft fervice con- fiftent with his own particular fituation and the ftate of Europe * HaoBOver-Papers paffitn, 1713. "^ Ibid. in ■/? TAT" '"CJfeYS Tn N Er8'« 6,. X. '7'; in general, to the well afFeded in Great Britain. That he had ^ "^^ p. engaged the Emperor and Empire to continue the war againfl: France. That he employed feventeen thoufand of his troops againft that kingdom. That this circumftance had deprived the French King of the power of fending an army into Great Britain with the Pretender. That, could he even advance the money, which was far from being the cafe, the fecret could never be kept ; and that a difcovery might be dangerous, from the offence that the meafure was likely to give to the Britifh nations ^ During thefe intrigues for the Proteftant Succeflion, the Pre- Situation and tender lived in great fecurity at Bar-Ie-duc, under the protection Pretender. of the Duke of Lorrain. Though he had declined to change his religion at the felicitation of his adherents, his fervants were al- moft all of the Proteftant perfuafion. The Earl of Middleton, who had yielded to policy more than conviction, his former fyftem of faith, was the only Roman Catholic of any confequence in his train *. A clergyman of the church of England had come from Britain at his defire, to exercife the fundions of his order in his family '. In daily expectation of a change in his favour, he declined all correfpondence, except fuch as folely conveyed in- telligence of the ftate of opinions and the fecret intrigues in government. The fame diftruft of the lord treafurer that pre- vailed at Hannover, was entertained, with much more reafon, at Bar-le-duc. But both agreed in the opinion, that his own fafety would, at length, induce the Eari of Oxford to throw himfelf in the fcale of the Pretender. The adherents of that Prince placed* however, their greateft hopes in the inclinations of Queen Anne. They knew that an interior cabinet was formed in oppofition to the trimming conduct of the lord treafurer. That Bolingbroke, who had long hated that nobleman, had flattered the prejudices of the Queen and her favourite, to ruin the minifter. That the * Hannover-Papers, July ii, lyij. ' Ibid. 1713. 'Stuart-Papers, 1713. 4 I 2 latter continue the war, 6i2 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. latter had applied to the principal Whigs for protedion againft his colleagues in office ^ That the Whigs had rejedted his fup- plications ; and that he was thrown into political defpair. Th« Jacobites, therefore, hoped to derive from his fituation aa aid which they could not exped from his principles \ Whigs en. The Whigs, in their eagerncfs for power and office, had ex- Empwor'w tended their intrigues to the councils of foreign powers. Their expedations and their fears for themfelves, had induced them to. flatter the Emperor and Empire to the continuance of an unequal war. They infmuated through the court of Hannover, that one of two events, very likely foon to arife, would turn the balance againft the houfe of Bourbon. That, fhould the Queen, already manifeftly near her end, happen to die, the war would be inftantly renevs'ed by Great Britain, under the Electoral family. That, in cafe of the demife of Lewis the Fourteenth, who was now broken with infirmities and age, France^ by falling under the dominion of a minor, would be rendered incapable to defend herfelf, and- muchlefs would fhebe able to keep Philip the Fifth on the thronfr of Spain. That the houfe of Auftria might recover a crown, of which they had been unjuftly deprived, by the timidity and finif.- ter defigns of the Britifh miniftry, whofe power was to expire with the life of the Queen. That to accomplifh this great defign> nothing was neceflary, but to remain on the defenfive, on the Rhine. That to make conquefts was of much lefs importance than to maintain the £how of war ; and, that even flight difafl:ers might be of fervice, as they would contribute to alarm the Britifh nation, by the progrefs made by the arms of France '. Campaign of The ambition of Charles the Sixth, coinciding with the repre- '^*^* fentation of the Whigs and the court of Hannover, he refolved to profecute the war. Forefeeing the event that deprived him of the £ Stuart-Papers, 1713. "^ Ibid. ' Stuart and Hannover-Papers paffim, 1713. aid aid of his allies, he had accommodated tlie differences which had long fubfifled between his family and the malecontents in Hun- gary. Preliminary articles, containing a general amnefty on both iides, had been followed by a formal treaty. The famous Ra- gotfki, difappointed in his views, had fled to Poland, and twenty two regiments of Hungarians, taking the oaths to the Emperor, paffed into his army. The Prince of Savoy commanded the Im- perialifts. When he was making preparations for paffing, with great caution, the Rhine,, he was fuddenly ftopt, by the approach of a fuperior force, under the Marefchal de Villars. The French had acquired their ufual confidence, by the defertion of the mari- time powers from the grand confederacy. They took WormSj Spire, Keiferlauter, and other places, with little refiftance. They Invefted and took the important fortrefs of Landau. Villars, having formed greater defigns, forced the paUagc of the Rhine, attacked and defeated the General Vaubonne, in his intrench- ments, and took Fribourg, before the end of the campaign. The Emperor, unwilling to continue a difaftrous war, began ferioufly to wilh for peace. Conferences, that afterwards terminated in a treaty, were accordingly opened, at Raftadt, between the Prince of Savoy and the Marefchal de Villars ''. During thefe tranfadlions abroad, riot, clamour,' and con- A ferment ia fufion prevailed at home. The Queen, having diffolved the "^^" * parliament ', in terms of the triennial a£t,- the two parties took the field. To influence the elections, they had long carried their difputes to the prefs. Each endeavoured, by their writers, to impofe upon a credulous multitude. Pofitive aflertions were ad- vanced, according to cuftom, as fa(fls ; and declamation was fub- flituted in the place of argument. The Whigs, difappointed in their expeftations of money from Hannover, had endeavoured to gain the mob of London, through their habitual prejudices againft "HiH. d'Allemagne, torn, vii. '.Vnnalsof Queen Anne, 1713. MSS, paffim. th»- 1713. 6i4 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^X^ ^' *^^*^ French. The terrors from the Pretender were inculcated, in vain, againft the pofitive affurances of the Qncen, in favour of tlic Proteftant fucceflion. The imprudence and inattention of the Duke d'Aumont, the French ambalfador, had furnifhed the dif- contented with an opportunity of inflaming the populace againft his nation, and confequently againft the miniftry. To gain popularity, that minifter had, upon his entrance into London, ftrewed whole handfuls of filver coin among the rabble. Tlieir acclamations ended with his generofity. The crowds, whom their avarice had aftembled before his houfe, difappointed in their cxpedlations, gave free vent to their a-verfion to France and Popery. They were eafily induced to connect the interefts of the Pretender with the objeft of d'Aumont's embafly ; and thus the Whigs contrived to inftill a jealoufy into the populace, to fa- vour their own interefts in the general eledions. Riotous be- The ferment raifed in England by the general ele<3:ions, ex- IhJ^cJts!^ tended itfelf to Scotland, with equal violence. The Whigs, as well as the Tories, in that part of the kingdom, were averi* from the minifter. The firft were offended at his oppofmg, with fuch fuccefs, the breaking of the Union. The latter could not forgive his flow councils in favour of the Pretender. The Scotifli Jacobites, with their ufual vehemence, carried their zeal into folly and imprudence. Some boroughs were induced, by their fuggeftions, to addrefs the Queen upon the hereditary defcent of the crown. Whole focieties, as well as individuals, celebrated the birth-day of the Chevalier de St. George, and drank his health at their entertainments and caroufals. Lockhart of Carn- wath, an avowed Jacobite, was unanimoufly chofen member for Edinburgh. A great number of the inhabitants, upon this oc- cafion, figned a petition to be prefented to the houfe of commons, for the bringing in a bill to diflblve the Union. The populace, having affembled round the ftatue of Charles the Second, in the parliament- Q^U E E N A N N E. 6is CHAP. X. •«3- parliament-clofe, drank, attended with the loudeft fliouts of joy, heahhs to the Queen, the diflblution of the Union, and the •- hereditary defcent of the crown. They adjourned, in the fame riotous mood, to the market-crofs, and filled the whole city with treafonable acclamations and noife "". Ireland could not be fuppofed to remain free from the con*- Aflaira of . . Ireland. fufion which prevailed in every corner of Great Britain. The Duke of Shi'ewfbury was appointed lord-lieu tenant ; and he arrived at Dublin, in the month of (Xtober ". Though his Grace had uniformly pafled for a ftaunch friend to the Revolution % he owed his prefent preferment to the minlfter's certain knowledge of his Jacobitifm ^ The Earl of Oxford, thwarted in the cabinet by Shrewsbury's zeal for the Pretender, had wiflied for his re- moval from the kingdom. He had fenthim, with this defign, am- baffador to France; from which kingdom his Grace had returned, in the month of Auguft. The lord-treafurer found more diffi- culty in perfuading Shrewfbury to accept of the government of Iceland. The former, however, was affifted in his fcheme by his rival the Vifcount Bolingbroke. That Lord, having long formed the defign of placing himfelf, in conjunction with the lord- chancellor, at the head of the high-church party, became as jealous of Shrewfbury as of Oxford ^. He therefore found means, through the Lady Malham, to prevail with the Duke to accept of a government, more honourable in itfelf, than important in the great line of public affairs. v The Duke of Shrewfbury, upon his arrival at Dublin, found R'^^^°^ . , ^ ^ snrewlbury that city in a ferment concerning the eledlion of a lord mayor. lord lieute- The Whigs and Jacobites carried their conteft, on this fubjedl, to a degree of violence little fhort of frepzy_._^The_latter were, ■" Publications of the Times. " Oa. 27. *> Hirfories and publications of the Times. » Stuart-papers, 1713, ■» MSS. paflim. ''"'I fupported, nant. 6i6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, fupported, with great zeal and addrefs, by Sir Conftantlne y,—^, 1 Pliipps, lord-chancellor of the kingdom, who was at no pains to ''^" conceal his attachment to the Pretender and his caufe. The Duke of Shrewfbury profited by the violence of Phipps. He concealed, with fuccefs, his own principles in favour of the here- ditary defcent of the crown. He averred, in public, that he was ftill the fame, he was in the year 1688. He drank, with an appearance of zeal, to the pious memory of King William ; though it is well known he deferted the caufe of that Prince when alive. On the anniverfary of King William's birth-day, his Dutchefs, then in correfpondence with the excluded family, gave a magnificent ball, and flattered the principles of the Whigs upon the occafion. The eledtions for members of a new parliament were, in the mean time, carried on with induftry, contention, and animofity. The two parties of Whigs and Tories, as in Great Britain, oppofed each other with violence, and even bloodfhed. The troops were forced to interfere in the eledions for the city of Dublin, where force only could fupprefs the ungovernable fury of the voters, on both fides '. Proceedings Though the advantage was vifible, on the fide of the Whigs, of the Irifli . . _ , . , parliament, m the Iriui elections, the Tones formed a numerous party in the houfe of commons. Upon a divifion, on the choice of a fpeaker, the former were found to poffefs only a majority of four votes. In the houfe of lords the intereft of the latter feemed to prevail. The violence that had fubfifted without doors, was carried into the debates and refolutions of the lower houfe. They inquired into the late riots in Dublin. They examined into the profe- cutions in the court of Queen's Bench againft the authors and printers of fome treafonable publications. The objedl of the Whigs was to attack the Lord Chancellor Phipps ; who, being at the head of the law, was averfe from exerting its rigour againft ' Publicationj of tlie Times. writers, QJJ EENANNE. 617 svriters who favoured his own principles. The commons refolved, ^ ^ J^ P- A. that a book, intitlec], " Memoirs of the Chevalier de St. George," ' ' was a fcandalous and feditious libel. That the defign of that libel '' ■'' was to impeach her Majefly's title to the crown, and the fucccf- fion of the houfe of Hannover. That Sir Conftantine Phipps* lord-chancellor of Ireland, had adled contrary to his duty and the Proteftant intereft, by reprefcnting the author as an object of the Queen's mercy. That the lord-chancellor had, in a fpeech to the lord mayor and aldermen of Dublin ', by declaring his opinion, prejudiced a caufe depending in a court of law. That, therefore, an addrefs fhould be prefented to her Majefty to remove Sir Conftantine Phipps from his place of lord-high chancellor, for the peace and fafety of her Proteftant fubjeds in Ireland '. In the houfe of lords, principles fimllar to thofe of the chan- They anim- cellor, combining with the weight of government, obtained votes lord-chan- of an oppofite kind. They refolved, that Sir Conftantine Phipps had, in the feveral ftations wherein he had ferved her Majefty* acquitted himfelf with honour and integrity. That a committee fhould immediately withdraw, and prepare an addrefs to her Majefty, on the fubjedt of thefe votes. The commons, off'ended at the refolutions of the lords, extended further cen- fures to the conduit of Phipps. They accufed him openly of abetting the views of the Jacobites, from his refufing his ap- probation, as chancellor, of a perfon elected lord mayor of Dublin, merely becaufe that perfon was attached to the principles of the late Revolution. The flame could be only extinguiflicd by a prorogation. The Duke of Shrewfbury, apprized of the de- clining health of the Queen, was willing, of himfelf, to put a period to the contefts in Ireland, and to return to London. Though the indifcreet Jacobiiifm of the lord chancellor merited • Jan. 12, 1712. ' Journals, Dec. iS, 1713. Vol. II. 4 K cenfure» cellor. »7'3' 618 HISTORY OK GREAT BRITAIN. cenfiire, the condudl of the Irifli commons was much blamed by the Britifh Tories. The figure which Phipps had made at the trial of Dodor Sacheverell, had gained the affedlion of the church- party. The Whigs were loud on the other fide of the queftionj; and the truth is, that the chancellor had been, in fomc meafiire,' the caufe of unhappy diftindions between the Proteftants of Ireland. roipeflic During thefe tranfadions in Ireland, the ferment raifed in. affairs. Britain, by the arts of the two parties, continued. Though the Tories were, in general, the moft fuccefsful, more Whigs found their way into the houfe of commons in the prefent than in the preceding eledions. The new parliament, which was to have met on the twelfth of November, was further prorogued to the tenth of December. This meafure was, at the time, afcribed to the manifeft decline of the Queen's health and the fquabbles among her fervants. The Earl of Oxford, having received a repulfe from the Whigs, in the month of Auguft ", had endea- voured to regain the confidence of the Tories. To gratify their prejudices, fome changes were made in the principal departments of the ftate. To influence the elections in their favour, fome alterations were made in the inferior offices of the revenue. With regard to the firft, men, remarkable for the Tory prin- ciple, were placed in eminent ftations, which had been rendered vacant by deaths, difmiffions, or removals. The Earl of Mar, then actually in correfpondence with the Pretender, was made third fecretary of flate. The Earl of Dartmouth, having received the privy feal, made a vacancy for Mr. William Bromley, as one of her Majefty's principal fecretaries. Sir William Wynd- ham became chancellor of the exchequer, in the room of Robert Benfon, raifed to the peerage, by the title of Lord Bingley. The Lord Lanfdovme, in his principles a Jacobite, had received the '■' Ilannover-papers, 1713. place Q^U E E N A N N E. 6ig place of treafurer of the houfehold, which had been for fome CHAP. time vacant by the removal of the Earl of Chohnondeley, the laft i l,! » Whig of any importance that remained in office ". '''^' Whilst the lord-treafurer endeavoured to gain the Tories by Dlfler.fions thcfe changes, he only ftrengthencd the hands of his enemies Qa'een's fer- againfl himfelf. Bolinghroke, encouraged by the acceflion of ^■3""- Secretary Bromley and Sir William Wyndham, continued his intrigues in the cabinet. The animofuies between the members of adminiftration were no longer unknown to the public. The writers employed by government were bufy in preparing the nation for an approaching change ^. The Earl of Oxford him- felf, though fond of the diftin£tion paid to his high ftation, was difpleafed at being deprived of its power. He thought ferioufly of retiring from bufinefs. But there was now no fafety in re- treating. He had too much offended the Whigs, to be either forgot or forgiven by that party. The Tories, fhould he join with their political enemies, w^ould feek an opportunity, and they actually poflcffed the means of revenge. In this ftate of affairs, he facrificed his pride to neceffity. He rcfolved to bear with mortifications, rather than refign his ofhce. His indignation againfl his rival might contribute to his prefent firmncfs. He faw, that the very perfon who had already ruined his interefl with the Queen, wifhed to deprive him of the influence with the na- tion, which he ftlll derived from his office ^. The enmity fubfifting between the treafurer and his rival in Secret io- influence, was greatly fomented by the uninterrupted connexion Bofim'b^oke. between the latter and the Duke of Marlborough. The Duke, not remarkable for friendly attachments, feemed to have departed from the ufual indifference of his character, with regard to the * Gazettes, Augufl and Sept. 1713. >' Nov. 16. ^ MSS. paflim. Publications of the Times. 4 K 2 Vifcount I71J- ^2Q HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H A P. Vifcount Bolingbroke. He is faid to have declared, upon the death of the Marquis of Blandford, that he had now no comfort left in the world, except in Henry Sr, John, whom he regarded and loved as his own fon \ During his campaigns abroad, he held an intcrcourfe, by letters, with St. John, even when that gentleman was clofely conneded with Harley, his mortal enemy. When Harley, through the intrigues of Mrs. Mafham and the changed opinions of the nation, brought about a change in the miniftry, in 17 lo, St. John, without breaking with Marlborough-, gratified his own ambition, by accepting the office of fecretary of ftate. When, therefore, the Duke was on the worfl terms with the court, he had a friend in the cabinet, who fupported his in- tcreft when the current was not too ftrong to be ftemmed. Whea the dangerous intrigues of Marlborough, in the end of 1711, furnifhed the lord-treafurer with an opportunity of removing him from all his employments, St. John yielded to the times, and ap- proved of a meafure which he could not oppofe ".. He takes ad- The difficult fituation of the Earl of Oxford, the perpetual the Queen's contcfl between his interefl: and principles, his aukward manner, and a condudl throughout undecifive, foon rendered him ob- noxious to the Tories, and hated by the Whigs. He, however, retained, throughout the year 17 12, his influence with his fove- reign, by finding means to perfuade that timid Princefs, that he himfelf was neceffary to her fafety, againfl the dangerous defigns of the Whigs. When time had expunged from her memory a part of her fears, £he began to liften to the infinuations of Boling- broke againfh the treafurer. Subje£l to frequent lllneffi^s, and fenfible of the decay of her own conftitution, fhe became appre- henilve, that fhe was faft approaching to her end. An enthufiaft, like the moft of her family, fhe became anxious for the eventual fucceffion of her brother to the throne, from motives of religion. * MSS. pafllm. ^ Original Papers, paffim. Her iate of mind CLU E E N ANNE. 621 Fler folemn promlfes to her father, a letter written to her by that chap. Prince in his lafi: ilinefs % her having been, by her defertion, the ' '^ • obvious caufe of his ruin '', were always prcfcnt to a mind en- ^ ^' feebled by ficknefs, as well as fupcrflition. She deemed the death of her children a fignal punilhment, infiiited by Providence for her own injuftice to a parent, as flie was plcafed to conftrue her condud: ^ Having left her father in his extremity, with a view of fecuring his throne to her own pofterity, fhe weakly thought, that Heaven had interfered to difappoint her dcfigns '. BoLiNGBROKE had long watched the emotions of her mind, with regard to the Pre- and he endeavoured to turn them to his advantage. Having flat- tendei-. tered her prejudices, by pretending to enter into her views, he gradually fupplanted the influence of the lord-treafurer. He re- prei'ented the languor of his raeafures. He gave infinuations con- cerning his fecret intrigues with the Whigs. 1 he artifice which he ufed with the Queen, he employed, with equal fuccefs, on the more violent Tories. In the beginning of the prefent year, he formed a ferious defign of placing himfelf at the head of a party, independent of the Earl of Oxford. But a well-grounded fear of the Whigs induced him afterwards to adhere to the lord-treafurer. He was, however, at the bottom of all the mortifications which that minifter fuff'ered, by the defertion of fome of the high-church party in the lafi: feflion of parliament. To humble his rival was fuitable to his violent paffions. To ruin him entii'ely, confidering the times and his own precarious fituation, was inconfiftent with common prudence. His obje£l was to flirengthen himfelf, with the return of the Duke of Marlborough. That nobleman would have no obje(3;ion to join with any party, who Ihould contribute to the fall of his enemy, the Earl of Oxford ^ To feel the pulfe of the Tories, and to found the inclinations of the Queen, reports " Hannover-papers, 1713. "* Her letter to her father, Dec. i6gi. « Hannover-papers, 1713. ' Ibid. t iVlSS. paffim, 1713. were 8 622 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. C H^A P. vv-ere induftrioufly fpread, in the fummer, that the Duke was to return to Britain, at the exprefs delire of the miniftry ''. X. '7'3- His intrioups These innnuations produced not the cxpeQed efFeft. The Maribo- Queen was averfe from the meafure. The Tories exprefied no ■^""^ ' delire for the Duke's return. His Grace, having fpent the fum- mer in making vain folicitations to the houfe of Hannover for fending the Ele<3:oral Prince to Britain, feemcd to be fuddenly feized with an impatience, not unnatural to his difpofition, how- ever much it was concealed. He reprefented to the Eledor, that, being now in the fixty-fixth year of his age, he wiflied topafs the reft of his life in quietnefs, in his native country. That, as his Highnefs feemed fo indifferent about the fucceffion, it was time for his friends to take care of themfelves. That, by coinciding with the views of the miniftry, whofe almofh avovv^ed intentions were to reftore the Pretender, the friends of the houfe of Hari- fiovcr might, perhaps, obtain fecurity from a Prince, whofe fa- vour they could not, in reafon, expedl. Thefe chidings, bearing the appearance of zeal, were neither regarded nor feared. In the mean time, Bolingbroke proceeded in his intrigues. He daily gained the ground which the unhappy manner of the treafurer was deftined to lofe. He had often complained to the Queen of his principles. He now loudly accufed him of dilatorinefs and indolence. He affirmed, that, by neglefting the power which the influence of government had placed in his hands, he had permitted a greater number of Whigs, than was confiftent with the fafeiy of government, to obtain feats in the houfe of commons '. who corre- EXPECTING much from the intrigues of Bolingbroke, and the'Vreteiid- tired of his own fituation, the Duke of Marlborough again "' formed hopes of his fpeedy return. To regain his former power, •> Stuart-papers, 17 13. ' Ibid. he Q^U E E N A N N E. 623 C I! A P. X. 1713. he feemed inclined to defert his prefent friends. He was willing to govera Anne, by yielding to her prejudices. Under a cer- tainty that flie was attached to her brother's intercft, he endea- voured fecretly to gain the confidence of the Pretender's adherents abroad. He wrote to the Dutchels of Berwick. He even fent a letter to the late King James's Queen. He difpatched one of his retainers to France. He empowered him to convey the mofl folemn proteftations of his attachment to the Chevalier de St. George. He affured him, with an oath, that he would rather cut oflF his own right-hand, than oppofe his views on the throne. That, provided he himfelf might be rendered fecure, he •would not hefitate a moment to ufe all his credit, both privately and publickly, for his fervice. He inftrudled the Duke of Ber_ wick, he faid, more largely on the fubjedl ; and he had reafon to hope an anfwer fuitable to his fincerity and zeal ''. Thefe relent- ings of Marlborough, if they were at all fincere, were prevented from having any effef ■ ANNE. 629 thcmfelves, that the government of the Pretender, whom they ^ ^^ ^ P- looked upon as a weak Prince, would not be fo great an evil as a v ^-v — ~ui perpetual civil war % ''^''^' These were certainly the fenilments of the greateft number of Sentimentsof the Tories, and, perhaps, thofe of all the moderate Whigs. The regard to the Lord Guildford, who openly avowed the Tory principle, and was privately much attached to the pretended Prince of Wales, made no fecret of the opinions of his own party. He told the Lord Cowper, that thofe Tories who were moft attached to the houfe of Hannover, would hazard no part of their fortune againfl: the Pretender. That though, they might allow, their religion and liberty would be more fafe by adhering to the prefent eftablifh- ment, they flattered themfelves, that, by good laws, both the one and the other might be very well fecured. That, for his own part, he could folemnly fwear, that he neither knew nor believed there exifted any ferious fcheme in favour of the Pre- tender. " But I frankly acknowledge," he continued, " that, Ihould ever matters be pufhed to any length on that fide, the greateft part of us Tories will fubmit ; while fome of you Whigs will, perhaps, be fools enough to expofe the kingdom to a civil war, and fuffer your country to be laid vvfafte, on the one hand, by the French, and, on the other, by the Germans," ,. While the two parties in Britain were harafling themfelves Affairs of with idle hopes and vain fears about the fucceffion, a peace was p^a'^g ^V concluded at Raftadt between the Emperor and the French King \ Rafladt. The conditions of the treaty were little changed by the operations of the preceding campaign. Things were left on the confines of France and Germany on the plan delineated by the peace of Rifwick. With regard to the Netherlands, the two pov/ers agreed to the terms fettled at Utrecht. The Emperor confented to reftore * Hannover-papers, March 6, 1714. , '' March 6. their 6s&- IirSTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. their territories to the Princes of Italy whom he had ftript of their domiaionG. He engaged to continue the neutrahty, and not to difturh the repofe of that country. The Eledors of Bavaria and Cologn were re-eftablifhed in their dominions and dignities. The title of the Eledlor of Hannover was recognifed, in form, by the French King. The Emperor, moved by his refentment for having been, as he thought, deferted, had refolvcd to conclude the treaty, without either the participation or intervention of the maritime powers. To mortify the court of Great Britain, he fet on foot a new treaty with the States-General for a barrier in the Netherlands ; and, having brought to fome maturity the bufinefs at the Hague, removed the negociation, foon after, to Vienna \ Peace with The King of Spain might have concluded a peace with all the confederates, except the Emperor and Empire, at Utrecht. But he faffered that important work to be fufpendcd till the prefent year, by the ambition of a foolifh woman. The Princefs Orfmi, having ol)tained an afcendant over his counfels, employed her credit to make herfelf a fovereign. She wanted that a principality fhould be ereded for her in the Netherlands. The court of Great Britain and the States-General had agreed to this prepoflerous' propofal. The Spanifli plenipotentiaries infifted ftrenuoufly with the reft of the confederates to confcnt to a condition deemed effential by their mafter. They were, however, forced, at length, to abandon their demand. The Emperor would never confent to thedifmemberment of any part of the Netherlands. The French King interfered with his grandfon. He perfuaded that Prince to pay more regard to the repofe of his people, than to the caprice of a woman. But, notwithftanding his remonftrances, the peace, itfelf was not figncd at Utrecht till the prefent year. The Princefs ' Orfinl, who had fo long obftrttded the great work of peace, fell, ' Annals of Queen Anne, 1714. foon Q^U E E N A N N E. 631 Ibon after, into a difgrace fuitable to the magnitude of her own ^ ^^ ^• ambition and folly \ > -.- -j 1714. On the twenty-feventh of February, a mefTcnger arrived from Qn^en opens Holland, with the ratifications exchanged of the treaty of com- parliament. merce between Great Britain and Spain. The peace between the two kingdoms was formally proclaimed on the firfl: of March. The Queen had returned to London, in the middle of February, araidit the acclamations of the populace, who were overjoyed at the profpeft of her recovery from her late dangerous illnefs. But as her health was not fufficiently reftored to open, with the ufual ceremony of a fpeech, the bufinefs of parliament, the two houfes had adjourned to the fecond of March. The Queen, having gone to the houfe of lords on that day, addrefled her parliament in terms fuitable to the flate of the times. Flaving animadverted feverely on thofe who infinuated tliat the fucceffion in the houfe of Flannover was in danger, flie aflured the two houfes, that, to weaken her authority, and render her uneafy in the pofleffion of the crown, could never be proper means to fupport the Protertant fucceffion. She had done and fhould continue, flae faid, to do her befl for the good of her fubjeds. She recommended to her parliament to follow her example, by uniting the differences of parties, and by improving jointly the benefits obtained by the treaty of peace ^, The Whigs, having confined, by concert \ their operations to Thcv cenfure. the proiedted demand of a writ for the Eledoral Prince, no oppo- P°!'""' , . . , ^^ writers. fition was made, in either houfe, to warm addreifes to the throne. The commons followed their addrefs with a vote of fupply. In confidering an article of the Queen's fpeech, with regard to libels,: the two parties flew into their ufual flame. A motion was made f M. de Torcy, torn. ii. - s Journals, March 6.. '' Hannover-papers, Feb. 1714. in. 6^1 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. In t}je houfe of commons agalnft a pamphlet, written with great ^^ — -' acrimony and boldncl's, charging the fervants of the Queen with mal-adminiftration ; and aflerting, in exprefs terms, that the Proteftant fucceffion was in danger, through their machinations. This performance, though the work of a Mr. Moore ', was afcribed to Mr. Richard Steele, a name well known in the republic of letters. Steele, who had obtained a feat in the houfe of commons, acknowledged himfclf the author of this obnoxious publication. After various and long debates, he was, upon a divifion, expelled the houfe ''. In the houfe of lords, the Whigs, forefeeing the feverity againft Steele, extended their animadver- fions to a publication, written in oppofition to his pamphlet. This anfwer, which refleded feverely on the Scotifh nation, had been afcribed, by public report, to the famous Dr. Swift. It was chiefly levelled againft the Duke of Argyle, who was hated by the Dodor's patron, the Earl of Oxford. But though the violence of the Whigs yielded not to that of the Tories, they were not equal to them in point of numbers, when the mat- ter came to a vote. The miniftry, however, chofe to remove the whole affair from before the lords into a court of common law. The miniftry DuRiNG the conteft between the parties in parliament, fecret ral officers, auimofities fubfifted in the cabinet. The two rivals for the Queen's favour were, however, united in their public meafures againft the Whigs, on account of their common fears. The miniftry were no ftrangers to the defigns of that party. They knew, that the Eledlor had been long folicited to undertake an invafion. They refolved, therefore, to be prepared againft an event that threatened their own power, as well as the Queen's authority. It was upon this account, and not in favour of the Pretender, that they fell upon the fufpicious meafure of new- ■ MSS. paflim. * March i8, 1714. modelling I7«4- QJJ E E N A N N E. 6^5 modelling the army. In the middle of March, the Duke of ^ h a P. Argyle, the Earl of Stair, and other officers of rank, whom the miniftry fufpeded, were removed from all their military employ- ments. The Queen, however, paid an equivalent, in money, to the difmifled officers. The meafiire furniflied the artful with an objeft of clamour, and terrified the credulous and timid. The Vifcount Bolingbroke, who was known to have obtained the afcendant over the lord-treafurer, was accufed of being the author of thefe dangerous counfels. His enemies affirmed, that, defpair- ing of the Queen's life, and excluded from every hope of the favour of the houfe of Hannover, he precipitated every thing to pave the way for the reftoration of the Pretender '. The leaders of the Whigs, terrified by this appearance of de- The Eleaor cifion in the miniftry, fell into their ufual defpondence. They gratify th9 "-declared their opinion, that no hope remained, but in the death of '^'' 'the Queen or in that of the Pretender. They blamed the court of ^Hannover for having facrificed their friends, as well as their own hopes of the throne. The Eledtor argued in vain againft the ^propriety of yielding to their defperate requefts. He knew, he faid, that the Queen was averfe from feeing any of his family in her dominions. That, notwithftanding her prejudices, he would have fent the Electoral Prince to London, had he not been perfuaded, that the meafure would bring matters to an open rup- ture. That, as it was impradlicable to bring the lawful fucceflbr into the kingdom, they ought to fecure the fucceffion, by re- _moving his competitor. That he had already made repeated inftances to the Queen on that fubjedl. That he was refolved to renew his remonftrances. That, as to their unceafing demands of money for poor lords, common-councils, bribery of members, and private penfions, he would hear no more of that affair. Tliat, from the narrownefs of his own income, he could not enter ' Publications of the Times. Vol. II. 4 M upon 634 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP, upon thefe heads, into any competition with his antagonift, the lord-treafurer. But that, except in the article of expenccs, he was willing to fupport to the Utmoft their party ". 17.14- Unmanly These afTutances on the part of the Eledor neither anfwered fears of that . ,_ party. the hopes, nor removed the fears of the Whigs. Though fuch Tories as were in the intereft of the houfe of Hannover, though the lord-treafurer himfelf, though the concurring voice of the whole miniftry declared, that the Proteftant fucceffion was in no danger, the leaders of the party gave way to their own unmanly terrors. They drew inferences from uncertain fads. They improved into ftrong realities idle rumours. They even believed, that preparations were already made for fending feveral of their leaders to the Tower. In this ftate of doubt and uneafmefs, they refolved to make one other effort to gain the people, by awaking their fears. The lords having taken the ftate of the nation into confideration, the Earls of Wharton, Nottingham, and Sunder- land, with other peers of the fame party, reprefented, in the ftrongeft terms, the danger that threatened the Proteftant fuc- ceflion. They moved, that an addrefs fhould be prcfented to her Majefty, on the fubjed of the removal of the Pretender from Lorrain, and on other points, calculated to raife the refentment of the populace againft the miniftry. On this occafion the Earl of Oxford made a motion, which feemed prepofterous, as the motive was then unknown. He moved for leave to bring in a bill for the further fecurity of the Proteftant fucceflion, by making it high-trealbn to bring any foreign troops into the kingdom ". Their con- Men who afcribe to policy every meafure of a minifter, will feize the find it diftlcult to accouut for the motion made by the lord- Tov/er, &c. jreafurer. If, as he averred, in the houfe, he only meant ta " Hannover papers, March 20, N. S, 1714. " Hannover papers, paffim, '/if. preclude i;«4- Q^U E E N A N N E. 635 preclude the adherents of the Pretender from invading the king- dom, his expedient was altogether nugatory and unneceffary. Such troops as fhould attend that Prince, would have been open enemies, if foreigners, and rebels, if natives. The treafurer feems to have had reafons for his prefent condudl, which he did not chufe to reveal. The States-General, alarmed by the ter- rors of the Whigs, and the zealous reprelentations of the agents of Hannover, began to make preparations for aiding effedually the Eleftor in his views on the Britifh throne. Some fhips of war were made ready for fea, in their ports. Some troops, efpecially the Scots in the fervice, had received orders to march to- ward the coaft. The Whigs at home were ready to fecond the pro- jected invafion from abroad A fet of inferior confpirators were prepared to fupport with action the deliberations of their leaders. Meafures were concerted, by a fociety called the kit-cat club, to feize the Tower, to declare for the family of Hannover, to fecure the perfons of fuch as were fufpedled of favouring the Pretender. In this number the lord-ireafurer himfelf had the misfortune of being comprehended by his enemies ; and he awkwardly chofe this prepofterous motion, as a kind of proof of his being no ftranger to the defigns of the Whigs \ In all ftates that pofTefs any portion of public freedom, the Refleaions. appeal of parties is always made to the people. Though the body of the nation enjoy but a very fmall {hare of any government, they make tip with their weight and numbers, what they want in authority as individuals. The candidates for office endeavour to gain their favour, by applying to their principles, but oftner to their prejudices ; and thofe fucceed the beft who impofe with the moft addrefs and dexterity upon their credulity and fears. The good opinion of a people is therefore the citadel, if the ex- preffion may be ufed, to which factions diredl all their irregula^ f JHannoverpapers, pailim, 1714. Publications of the Times. MS3. paflini. 4 M 2 attacks; 65<5 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. X. attacks; and when a party happens to poflefs themfclves of -that ftrong hold, they overawe their antagonifts, and govern, at dif- '^"'^* cretion, the noify populace, by whofe fufFrages they have afcended to power. The domeftic hiftory of the prefent reign contains little more than a continued feries of fuch political hof- tilities. In this clamorous conteft, as well as in real war, the combatants acquire an experience, from length of time, that frequently fufpends the fate of the conflift, when a decifion i3 moft to be apprehended. Proteftant TiiE Whigs, with a pcrfcverance worthy of a better caufe, voted out of than any defign on power and office, had long continued their 'ianger. attacks on the Tories. The weight of government, the efforts of the church, and the great popularity of the Queen her- fclf, had hitherto fruftrated all their efforts. Difappointed in their public conduft, they had lately recourfe to private mea- fures, and fucceeded in gaining over fuch Tories as were dif- contented with the miniftry. The agents of the houfe of Han- nover, at the fuggeftion of the leading Whigs, had prevailed with the Earl of Anglefea, and his followers in the houfe of lords, to defert the Tories, upon promifes of future advantage ^. Sir William Dawes, though fpontaneoufly raifed by the Queen to the fee of York, promifed, upon the like affurances, to defert the meafureS of the court, and to carry over to the Whigs a ma- jority of the bench of bifhops '. Encouraged by this unexpe£led defedion, the party introduced a warm debate, in the houfe of lords, on the fifth of April. After various fpeeches, the queftion was propofed, whether the Proteflant fucceffion was in danger ? On a divifion, the court-party prevailed, by twelve votes '. Tlie Earls of Abingdon and Jerfey, the Lords Afhburnham, Herbert, and Carteret, who had uniformly fupported the miniftry, joined the Whigs, on the prefent occafion. The fame queftion being "■ Hannover papers, 1714. 6 ' Ibid. ■6 againft 64. agitated Q^U E E N A N N E. 637 agitated before the commons, was carried, by a greater majority, ^ ^^ ^■ for the adherents of the court '. s— — ^-.^ 1714. Though the defertion of fo many Tories from the miniilry Caufeofthe ■' _ "^ defertion of may be afcribed, in fome degree, to the promifes of the Hanno- fome lories. verian agents, they had motives of another kind. The mod of thofe who joined the Whigs, had been highly irritated againft the Earl of Oxford. They knew that a party had long been forming againft him in the cabinet, and that a defeat in parliament was only wanting to the completion of his ruin. Hs was abandoned by his brethren in office. He was no longer fupported by the Queen herfelf. The fcanty majority, in a queftion on which his power depended, was equal to a partial defeat. Every body ex- peded to fee him next day without his ftafF as treafurer. He him- felf offered to refign ". But he contrived to infmuate to the Queen, by one of hie friends, that her ruin would fucceed his fall. Struck with this application, her ufual fears began to return. Though at the felicitation of the Lady Mafliam, Ihe had confented to difmifs the treafurer, flie became again reconciled to that minifter» upon certain conditions \ The Earl of Nottingham, who hoped to fucceed Oxford in the treafury, was again difappointed "j and thus was forced, by his refentment, to abet a party of whofe principles he fecretly difapproved. The Whigs, encouraged by the late acceffion to their party, Motions of ° . ^ •' the Whigs carried farther their oppofition againft the crown. On the fub- againft the jed of the Chevalier de St. George only, they could raife the fears of the people. They moved, therefore, for an addrefs to her Majefty, for renewing her inftances with the Duke of Lorrain, to expel the Pretender from his dominions. An addition made to their motion, fecmed levelled againft the fufpedled feelings of the ' 256 againll 208. " Hanuover-papcrs, Aprjli;^. ^ Ibid. y Ibid. Queen's 638 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. CHAP. Queen's mind. It was propofcd to requeft her Majelly to Iffue a \ ^1-^ proclamation, fctting a price on her brother's head. The Lord ''''^* North and Grey, feconded by the Lord Trevor, oppoied, with vehemence, this latter meafure ^ They reprefented, that the motion was as inconfiftent with common humanity, as it was repugnant to the Chiillian religion. That, to fet a price on any man's head, was to encourage analTmation, by public authority. That, for their own parts, fhould ever the cafe come before them, as peers and judges, they would think themfelves bound, in juftice, honour, and confcience, to condemn fuch an a journah, June 24, 1714, * H^nnovCT-paperj, June 1 6, 1714. , •. . ; Tin a or- L\ '4 g^^ a/* .v .. ... , • ' ^ tttXS^N^ AN nt. 6^j fee drefled himfelf as a woman, the better to reprefent tlie Queen's C H A P» perfon. That this fool, to ufe Bothmar's words, was appointed >_ -.'- .^ without the treafurer's knowledge. That Bolingbroke had ac- '^"^* quired the fuperiority ; and that Oxford had made, through Kreyenberg the refident, the moft fcrvile advancea to Bothmar fiimfelf : " A fare fign," fays he, " of his approaching fall ^" During thefe tranfa£lions, the Eleilrefs Sophia died fuddenly Death of dve at Hannover, in the eighty-fourth year of her age % She re- p^ja" tained her faculties to the laft. But there is reafon to believe,. that, had fhe even furvived Queea Anne, fhe would not mount the throne. She was a Princefs poflefled of great prudence, good fenfe, lively parts, and a conliderable degree of knowledge, with an affability of difpofition that rendered her much beloved. Though fhe was the only perfon mentioned by name in the adl of fettlement, her great age had prevented her from being the prin- cipal objed of attention. The Elector, without confulting her,, feems to have inftrudted his envoys in her name ; and the parties in Britain, who ftrove to pay their court to the family of Lunen— burgh, had, for feveral years, much negleded the Princefs. Her demife, as it was not unexpected, was regarded as a common occurrence. Scarce any mention is made of that event in the papers of the Hannoverian agents in Britain, except where it is alihouriced iri form to the Queen. Her death, therefore, coiild^ produce no change on the prefent ftate of affairs. ;/.ij;;ijUt "^BuT thougli fKe Eledor was now one flep nearer the throiil,* state of tb*- His efforts to fecure the fuccefliofl were far from keeping pace "'•'"''')'• \^ith the fanguine hopes of his friends. Hei made no prepara'-' tions for fending the Eledoral Prince to Britain.. Togratify the Whigs, to put an end to the teafmg entreaties of his fervants, and, perhaps, even to terrify Queen Anne, he had given per- ■i:i' Hannover- paperr, June i6, 1714, * May 28, O. S. Bii^fion >7'4' 648 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ ^^^ P- miffion for demanding the writ. But there is no reafoa to believe, that he ahered his firft fentiments on that fubjcdt, or that he ever feriouily defigned to permit his fon to depart from his dominions. This conduct would have thrown back the Whigs into their for- mer defpondence, had not their hopes of power been, from time to time, revived by the dilfenfions in the cabinet. The common fafety of the two candidates for the Queen's favour had hitherto preferved a kind of union in their public counfels. Tlie meafures of the crown, though languidly fupported, were, carried forward with a degree of unanimity. The jcaloufy ,of the Tories, lexcept in a few queftionS, on which fome of their leaders joined the Whigs, from motives of private intereft or refentmcnt, had ce- mented them together, in a manner not to be disjoined by the fquabbles between Oxford and Bolingbroke. But jis the quarrels of thefe men were likely foon to accomplifh the fall of the one or the other, the Whigs looked forward to the confufion expelled from that event. They watched with eagernefs the cabals of- the two rivals ; and hoped, through the diflenfions of their political enemies, to refume the reins that had been llruck from their own hands. Parliament The fuppHcs being granted, and the public bufinefs, in fome prorogued, r <- • /^ c meafure, nnilhed, the Queen came in perfon to the houfe or lords, on the ninth|Of July. In her ,fpeech from the throne, fhe made no mention either of the houfe of Hannover, or of the Pro- teftant fucceffion. Her fears from the coming of the Eledoral Prince were diffipated. But her refentment was not yet abated. She told the two houfes, that her chief concern was to preferve the liberty and the religion of her fubjects, and to fecure thepre- fent and future tranquillity of the kingdom. That, to attain thefe defirable ends, her parliament ought to fliew the fame regard for the jufl: prerogatives of the crown, and for the honour of government, as fhe had always expreffed for the rights of her people. Q^U E E N A N N E. C49 CHAP. X. 1714. people a. Having finiflaed this fpeecli, fhe ordered the chancellor to prorogue the parliament to the tenth of Augufl. Men, who afcribed to fome defign all the meafurcs of Anne, pnt various conftrudllons on a prorogation which was not fo fuddenly ex- pected. Thofe, who argued with moft decifivcnefs on this fub- jed, attributed the meafure to the manifeft decline in the health of the Queen. They affirmed, that a dropfy, under which flue , laboured, increafed from day to day : That the minillry had their realbns for wifhing that parliament might not be fitting at her death. Befides, that their projedled fchemes now demanded all their time and their care \ In reafoning in this manner, mankind mufl: have fuppofed, that Open rupture . r • • 1 1 1 r amon» the the minillry were united, by the fame principles and the fame miaiftry. views. Nothing, however, could be more contrary to truth, than this fuppofition. The chief fervants of the crown were divided between two irreconcilable rivals ; men obflinately re- folved on each other's deftrudion. During the fitting of parlia- ment, the animofities between Oxford and Bolingbroke were, in fome degree, reftrained by their common fears. Their mutual friends eftabliflied, from time to time, a temporary reconciliation between thofe rivals for power. But, when the parliament was prorogued, they obferved neither moderation nor common decency in their contefls. The firft could bear no equal in the Queen's favour. The latter was refolved to yield no longer to a fuperior. They defcended into altercation, perfonal refledion, and mutual accufation. The lord-treafurer made no fcruple to declare, that he could produce evidence that Boiingbroke was a determined Jacobite. Boiingbroke, on his part, openly affirmed, he had proofs in his hands, that Oxford was in the intereft of the Pre- tender. Though the allegations of neither feem to have been well founded, they had both the misfortune to be believed \ • Journals, July 9, 1714-. '' Hannover papers, July 171 4. ' Ibid. 1714. Vol. II. 4 O Though 650 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. ^ V ynfijii s^n, . ,,l ,,, -^ Though the difterence in tncir characters/ and a perpetual flruggle for power, had rendered tlie trcafurer and fecrctary irre- imnlJdit'ce coHcikble cnemics, a late incident in parliament was the obvibtiS caufe of their caufc ot tiieiV hreferit furv. A few days'' before the prorogation; quarrei, ,;!, 1^ .• ,. the lords took under connderation the trade to Spain and the Weft-Indies, as lately fettled by the freaty concluded at Madrid. Thi? examinAUon was'' fuggcfted bV ' the lord-tfeafurer, no\v fccretly in the iritereft of the Whigs, to procui-e the fall of Bdling- broke. The Queen had referved for herfelf the fourth part of the afliento or contrad for negroes. This fhare was privately divided into fixteen parts. Five were defigned for the lord-treafurer, five for Bolingbroke, four for Lady Mafham, and two for one Arthur Moore, the agent of the junto in this affair \ The Earl of Ox- ford, perceiving the dangerous ftate of the Qiieen's health, fa- crificed an uncertain intereft for certain revenge. In the courfe of the examination, he made himfelf a party againft his affociates in fpoil. He joined thofe lords who infifted to hear the Spanifh merchants againft the treaty ^ He encouraged an addrefs to the Queen, requefting her Majefty to apply to the ufe of the public her part of the profits of the aftiento contrad. Eolingbrokc didated an anfwer, that gave great offence to the lords. Neithei* he nor the Lady Mafham could forgive the treafurer for a mea- fure, which, in hurting their intereft, had deeply wounded their pride. Concen be- This incident haftened the fall of the treafurer. But it was tween £_^^ from being the fole caufe of his difgrace. Though Boling- broke had failed in his projed of bringing Marlborough into^ office, in the preceding winter, he never loft fight of that objed. During the whole feflion, he is faid to have held a correfpondencc' with the Duke, whofe only objedion to the prefent men and? meafures was an irreconcilable averfion to the Earl of Oxford. * July 2.. * Hannover-papers, July 24, 1714,. ' Ibid. ■'"' c That 17H- Q^U E E N ANNE. ^^^^ That minifler, by his fuggefting no difficulties in any meafure, was a fervant calculated to pleafe a weak fovereign, that was always haunted by political fears. He had, therefore, obtained a dominion over the Queen, which neither the arts of Boling- brqke nor the influence of Lady Mafliam could remove. The demand of the writ, made by the envoy of the houfe of Hanno- Ter, was one of thofe few incidents that had raifed any appearance of fpirijt in the mind of Anne. Bolingbroke had the addrefs to perfuade her, that this meafure was privately promoted by the Earl of Oxford. His cabals with the Whigs, his vehement pro- feffions to the Eleftoral family, his myfterious condud, which fhe had now, for the firfl: time, remarked, confirmed the infinuations of Bolingbroke. She, therefore, relblvcd to difmifs a fervant, whom fhe could no longer confider in the light of a friend ^ Bolingbroke, on the other hand, humoured the Queen in Bolingbroke and Marl- all hev prejudices. He fuggefled to her, that to pay any atten- borough. tion for the future to the houfe of Hannover, was incompatible Wftji her fervice *. Her refentment had placed her in the fcale of the Pretender, as far as fhe was permitted by her own timidity and jealoufy. The principal objedt of Bolingbroke was to per- petuate his influence; that of Marlborough to regain his former power. The firfl knew that he could not fupport him- felf alone, after the removal of the lord-treafurer. The latter had no objedlion to his entering into any meafures, fhould that minifler be removed from the cabinet. The views of both were turned to their own interefl. Should the Queen live and continue '^ **""'*."! her favour for the Pretender, they would probably have paved his way to the throne. Should flie happen to die, before matters were ripe, the Duke had eftablifned an interefl with the family of Hannover, that might preferve his friend. Though no de- cjfive proofs of their intrigues can be now produced^ a probable ^,MS?. pafllm. ' Hannover papers, July 20, 17M. 4 O 2 conje(5ture I7I4. 652 HISTORY OF GPxEAT BRITAIN. c H A P. conjedure may be made. They defigned, perhaps, to ferve the Pretender, by the means of Sweden. The ambaflador of that kingdom made no fecret of his expedling real affiftance, through the means of Bolingbroke, from the Britifh court; and he openly exprefled his wiflacs, that the Pretender were already arrived ". Their views. -p^^^ j^^l^^ ^f Marlborough, alTured of the projeded difgrace of Oxford, haftened to Oftend, to embark. But he was detained there for a fortnight by contrary winds. In this interval of fuf- pence, the difficulty which Bolingbroke found in forming the fhew of a miniftry, was the caufe of the delay in the treafurer's fall. liis own obje£l was to continue fecretary of ftate to com- mand all the foreign correfpondence. He was, however, to dif- mifs Bromley, his colleague in office, and to place the feals in the hands of Sir William Wyndham. The treafury was to have been put in commiffion. The Earl of Anglefea was to have been at the head of the board \ But either fome of thefe men declined the offices allotted for them, by Bolingbroke, or he himfelf be- came undecifive, through the weight of his own power. He, however, refolved to remove the Earl of Oxford, and to truft the reft to fortune. On the twenty-feventh of July, when the trea- furer came to court, he was deprived of his ftaff. He was, however, permitted to fall gently from his high ftation, being fuflered to retain all his other offices ^ Dii'miffion The chara£ter of the Earl of Oxford has been defcribed in all an c .ara er .^.^ fingularities as the incidents arofe. But the throwing into one view its moft ftriking features, may give a more complete portrait of the man. The talents beftowed upon him by nature were neither extenfive nor obvious ; and thefe feem to have been little improved by education, though he has been called a patron of learning and of learned men. His whole progrefs in literature * Hannover-papers, July 31, 1714. ' Ibid. July 20. ^ Ibid. 1714. was 1/1 4- QJJ E E N A N N E. 65: Was confined to that flight knowledge of the dead languages, which men intended for public life generally bring from fchool. He neither underllood foreign languages, nor wrote, with any degree of elegance, his native tongue. In the difpofition of his mind he was referved, diftruftful and cold. A lover of fecrecy, to fuch a degree, that he afllimed its appearance in mere ti-ifles ; fond of importance, without any dignity of manner ; fo full of profefTions, that he was always deemed infmcere. In his public meafures he was rather tenacious of his purpofe, than either firm or refolute in his condud : yet much more decifive in the means of annoying his enemies, than in thofe calculated to gratify his friends. With a facility of temper that could deny no requeft, but with a defe£t of mind that could beftow nothing with grace, he offended the difappolnted, and even loft thofe whom he ferved. The difpofal of offices, which gives influence to other minifters, was a real misfortune to the Earl of Oxford. He often promifed the fame place to five perfons at once ; and created four enemies, without making the fifth his friend. But if the Earl of Oxford was not remarkable for flriking of the Earl of virtues, he had the good fortune to be free from glaring vices; ^*^°''^* Though undecifive in the great line of bufinefs, he was not fub- jedt to perfonal fear. Though thoroughly ambitious, he was a ftranger to haughtinefs and pride. Though perfevcring in his oppofition to his enemies, he was not in his temper revenn-c- ful; and though lie' made no fcruple to tempt the honefty of others, with money, he himfelf cannot be accufed, with juflice, of the leaft tindure of avarice. In his public meafures he can never deferve the character of a great minifter. There was a narrownefs of fentiment, a vulgarity of policy, and even a meannefs in his condudt, that frequently excited the contempt of his beft friends. In his private intrigues for power, in his dextrous management of two parties, by whom he was equally 8 hated. 654 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. hated, In his tempering the fury of the Jacobites, in hh amufing the vehemence of the Whigs, in his advancing the interefts of the houfe of Hannover, when mofl: diftrufted by themfelves and their adherents, he fhewed a cojifiderable degree of addrefs and political knowledge. The nation owed to a defe£l in Oxford's mind, a greater benefit, than they could have derived from a miuifter of more fplendid talents. Had he been pofTefled of the pride infeparable from great parts, his refcntment for the ill ufage, which he experienced from the Whigs and the agents of the houfe of Hannover, might have induced him to defeat th? Proteftant fucceflion, and bring about thofe very evils of which he was unjuftly accufed. Obfervations. In a country where freedom prevails, extenfive talents are far from being the neareft path to the poflefTion of power. Their prior condition mud place mankind in the line of preferment ; otherwife their abilities, inftead of being employed by the flate, become, through want of ufe, a burden to themfelves. The moft intelligent fovereign, at the head of a popular government, is extremely circumfcribed in the choice of his fervants. He muft rule his people through the medium of perfons whom fome accident, independent of themfelves, have fixed in a certain rank in the community. But, as the advantages which favour am- bition, are enemies to the toil neceflary for improving and en- lia isH''^^S^"S ^^^ mind, men frequently come to the management of joMBri? b«E{}^g concerns of a great kingdom, with abilities fcarce fufiicient to regulate the affairs of a private family. Hence, and not from a dearth of talents, proceed the confined fyftems, the vulgar policy, the uniform undecifivenefs of public councils. J^ minifter, inftead of moving the whole machine of government* fuffers himfelf to be carried forward by its inherent motion ; ai)d fliould no accidents happen, the praife muft be given to for- tune. Thefe obferva^tipn^ , may be applied, with a degree of juftice, Q^U E E N AN n'e?'^^^^ 655 j^'fti'cc, to the Earl of Oxford ; who carried into his public con- ^ ^3^^ ^• dudl, all the narrownefs of his private charade]^:''''' ^^*^ SnttumK ^JiaiaJ Though the Vifcount Bolingbroke had the addrefs to remove Confufion in. , the cabinet. the iOrd-treafurer, he was not able to feize the reins which he had ftrutk from his hands. Wild, vifionary, and vehement, in all his projeds, he had not forefeen difficulties, or he was found in- capable to furmount them, when they came. During three days of anarchy and confufion in the cabinet, the minds of men were agitated with the viciffitudes of hopes and fear. The Queen herfelf, in a dangerous ftate of health before, had increafed the violence of her diftemper, by the agitation of her fpirits. Hav- ing affifted at a council of her principal fervants, in the night of the twenty-ninth of July, fhe became perplexed, beyond meafure, at their differences in opinion, and want of decifion. The ufual difcharge, frorii an impofthumation in her leg, was flopped. The gouty matter, tranllating itfelf to the brain, threw her into a. dozing infenfibility, in which fhe expired, at Kenfington, on ^'^s- ;• Sunday the firft of Auguft, about feven of the clock in the Queen, morning. In a trannent interval of her lethargy, fhe delivered the treafurer's ftaff to the Duke of Shrewfbury, who had been, recommended to that high ofEce by fuch of the privy council as^ were aflembled, upon the occafion, at Kenfington. ^<^Thus died Anne Stuart, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Her perfon in the fiftieth year of her age and thirteenth of her reign. In ter, her perfon fhe was of a middle feature, and before fhe bore chil-^ dren well-made. Her hair was dark, her complexion fanguine, her features ftrong, but not irregular, her whole countenance more dignified than agreeable. In the accomplifhmcnts of the" mind, as a woman, fhe vvafe not deficient. She underftood*' mufic : She loved painting : She had even fome tafte for works of genius. She was always generous, fometimes liberal, ^^^^]>- but «7'4- ^5^ HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. but never profufe. Like the reft of her family, flie was good- natured, to a degree of weaknefs. Indolent in her difporuion> timid by nature, devoted to the company of her favourites, eafily led. She poffefied all the virtues of her father, except political courage. She was fubjed the garter for the Ekaora! Prince, to the court of Hanover, 338. Succefs of hfr arms at Ramillies, 342. Brabant, Louvain, Eruflels, Antwerp, Mechlin, Aloft, Ghent, and Oudenarde, conquered by her arms, 343. Succefs of her arms in Spain, 346. Unites England and Scotland into one kingdom, by the name and defignation of Great Britain, 360. Calls her p.irliament, 363. Settle, a dif- ference between the King of Sweden and the Em- peror, 369. CaUs the Jirfl parliament of Great Britain, 380. DlfmirTes Harley, 386. Is threat- ened with an invailon from France under the Pretender, 388. Diflblves the parliament, 39?. Her army defeats the French at Oudenarde, 39c. And takes thecity of Lille, 396. Saidini;. and Mi- norca reduced, 401. Her grief for the death of her hufband, 402. Calls a new parliatncnt, 403, Extends the laws of tteafon to Scoiland, 40;. PafTes an aft of grace, 406. Urged by parlia- ment to a fecond marriage, 408. Rt-jcas the propofals o£ France for peace, 415. Tournay falls into the hands of her general, 421. Her arms are vidorious at Malplacquet, 422. Mons taken, 424. Calls her parli.iment, 43a. Douay, Belhune, St. Vincent, and Aire, conquered by her arm-, 440. Difmiffes Sunderland, 41; 3. The Emperor and the States ufe their good offices with ber, in vain, for the declining credit of the Whites. 4-P 53- I N D E X. 455. Difmifles tlie Whigs, and changes her mi- n ftry, 455. Calls a new parliament, 468. Obtains imnienfe fupplies, 472. Railes Harley to the peerage, by tlie double title of Earl of Ox- ford and Mortimer, 476. Receives a letter from the Pretender, 481. Is favourably difpofed to- ward him, 482. h bent on the profecution of the war, 4S5. Bouchain taljen by her ar.-ns, 487. A memorial fent to her from France, ijgi. Her demands, 49 z. Sends Strafford to the Hague to negociatc a peace, 498. Meets her parliament, 506. Pa/Tcs the bill cf otcafional conformity, 309. Difgraees Marlborough, 512. M:ikes a majority in the houfe of lords, 526. Prince Eugene of Savoy arrives in her court, :;27. Is tenificd at the defigns of Prince Eugene and the Whigib 5 34- '' anxious tor peace, and why, 547. Her attachment to the eventual fucceilion of the Pretender, 548. Reteives a letter from . that prince, 550 Her eagcrnels for peace, 55 2. Lays the treaty of peace before the parliament, 5,-4 The auxiliaries tefufe to obey her general, 561. Dunkirk delivered up to her by the French, 56V Creates Mr. Secretary St. John Vifcount Boiingbroke, and fends him to the court of France to negociatc a feparate peace, 567. Prefles the French King to agree to terms of peace with the i States, 570, Her fectet views with regard to the Pretender, 572. Sends Shrewlbury her ambafla- dor to France, 579. Concludes peace at Utrecht, 5S7. Is averfe from the interefts of the houfe of Hannover, 593. Her fpeech to her parliament, 595. Diffolves it, 613. Her flate of mind, 620. Sends Mr. Hailey to the court of Hannover, 626. Affembles her parliament, ib. Her fpeech, 631. Refufes the writ, as a peer of Great Britain, to the Eieaora! Frin-e of Hannover, 640. And forbids ''the Hannoverian tefident to appear again at her court, 641. Her anxiety, 642. Ifi'ues a ptocla- mntionagainft the Pretender, 64;. Endeavours to footh the Eledor, 646. Difmifies Oxford, 653. Her death, 654. And charafter, 6c,^. Jliinejly, , created Earl of Anglefey, i. 32. Jjiptn, Stuart of, joins the Vifcoont Dundee in Lochaber, i. 616. Afjley. Sir Allen, i. 301. Argyle, Marquis, comes to London and is com- mitted to the Tower, »• 23. Is condemned and executed, 24. ■ " Earl, condemned, i. 361, Butefcapes from prifon, ib. Engages in a confpiracy with Mon- mouth, Ruffel, and others, 390. Undertakes an Jinvafion of Scotland, in concert with the Prince of ■^Orange and the Duke of Monmouth, 441. Lands ;'in that kingdom, ib. Is defeated, taken, and executed, 442. , Duke of, his charaQer, ii. 601. Arlington, Lord, in chief power, i. 103. His in- trigues in the cabinet, 114. His chai after, 132, Is a member of the cabal, ib. Raifed to the dig- nity of an Earl, by the fame name, 156. Sent ambaflador-cxtraordinary to treat with the Statei for peace, i5i;. Is lord-chamberlain of the houfe- hold, 199 Is fent to Holland to negotiate a marriage between the Piince of Orange and the I'rincefs Maiy, eldeft daughter of the Duke of York, 201. Armjlrong, Captain, engages in Monmouth's con- fpiracy, i, 386. Executed, 412. Arran, the Irifh Earl, lord-deputy of Ireland, i. 416. — — , the Scotch Earl, attends King James to Rochef- tcr, i. 546. His motion to invite back the late King, jb'g. Is in the interell of the court of St. Germains, ii. 33. Arundel of Wardour, Lord, accufed in the popiflj plot, i. 259, Is a member of a fecret popifh ca- binet, 465. Lord-privy. feal, 480. AJhky-Cooper, Sir Anthony, created Lord Alhley, i. 32. Made chancellor of the exchequer, 103. A member of the cabal, 134. His charafler, ib. Is created an carl, 156. See ShaftcJLury. AJhion, , tried, condemned, and executed, i. 679. Ajlon, Lord, i. 288. Athlone, Earl, accufed of poflefilng himfelf of Iridi forfeitures, which ought to have fallen to the public, ii. 31, Aihlone, fiege of, raifed, i. 665. Taken, 692. s Athd, Marquis, i. 587. "" , Duke, enters into the views of the excluded family of Stuart, i. 374. Auhigny, Lord, marries King Charles II. to the I*' fanta of Portugal, i. 45. Augujius, King, is aided by the Czar, ii. 276. Au-verquerque, M, de, a Dutchman, made mailer of the horle to King William, i. 577. Axtel, , a regicide, condemned, i. 13. Aylejbury, Earl, attends King James to Rochefter, i. 546. — — — , men of, their cafe, ii. 316. Ayliffe, — — , enters into the Rye-houf« plot, f. 39°- Ayret, Captain, his fuppofed treachery when the Duke of York efcaped fliipwreck near the Lemon and Ore, i. 274. Ayjcough, admiral. Sir George, taken prifoner by the Dutch, i. 88. B. Bagpaiv, Mr. fent from Magdalene-college with ^ petition to King James the Second, i. 485, ' Baillie of Jervifwood accufed in the Rye-houfe plot by the Duke of Monmouth, i, 407. His trial> fentence, and execution, 415. Balfour, captain, prevents the Scotifli dragoons from joining the Vifcount Dundee, i. 616. 6 Balmerine, INDEX. Balmerino, Lord, his attachment to the excluded family of Stuart, ii. 308. Barclay, Sir George, receives a commifTion from the court of St. Germains for a general infurredlion in England, ii, 106. Barebotie, Praife God, accufed in a plot, i. 40. Barkjiead, a regicide, exxcu'ed, i, 46. Ba'varia, Eieftor of, his progrefs, ii, 270. Routed by the allies at Blenheim, 296. H:s dominionj fall into the hands of the Emperor, 298. Bath, Earl, declares for the Prince of Orange, i, 532. His engagements to the court of St. Ger- mains, ii. 25. Bedford, Earl, engages in Monmouth's confpiracy, i. 387. Bedloe, William, his hiftory, i. 264. A new evi- dence in the Popifh plot, ib. Accufes the Queen, 266. His dexterous evidence againft Prance, 274. Btdingfield, Mr. confeflbr to the Duke of York, ac- culed in the Popifh plot, j. 249. Feigned letters fent to him, ib. Belha'uen, Lord, oppofes the Union, ii. 355. Bellajis, Lord, accufed by Ores in the Popifh plot, i. 259. Member of a Popifh cabinet, 465, Is made firft lord of the treafury, 479. Bembo'vu, admiral, commands the fleet in the dif- graceful battle with the French near Carthagena, ii. Sennet, Sir Henry, made fecretary of flate, i. 54. See Lord Arlington, • , Robert, his conduft with regard to the Duchefs of Gordon's medal, ii. 505. Bentinck, M. de, fent by the Prince of Orange to the court of London to regociate for him a mar- riage with the Princefs Mary, i. Z25. Sent again to England to prevent the marriage of the Lady Anne with the Prince of Denmark, 410. Made groom of the flole and privy-purfe to King William, 577. See Portland. Bergen, affair of, i. 78. Berkley, Lord, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, i. 171. Commands the fleet and bombards St. Maloes, ii. 89. Beriuici, Duke, attends King James in his flight to France, i. 547. And to Ireland, 623. Defeats the Englilh and Portuguefe at Almatiza, ii. 366. Biddulph, Mr. attends King James to France, i. 547- . . , Bijhopi petition King James agamft his declaration •t indulgence, i. 497. Committed to the Tower, 489. Tried before the court of king's bench, 499. Acquitted, 500. Blenheim, battle of, ii. 29;. Its confequences, 297, Blood, Thomas, his crimes, i. 140. And pardon, 141. Bohemia, Queen of, in England, i. 14. Sotingbroke, Vifcount, fent ambaffador to the court of Verfailles to conclude a feparate peac^ ii. 567. His intrigues in concert with Lady Mafham, fog. His intrigues in favour of Marlborough, 622. His intrigues againft Oxford, 643. Quarrel with Oxford, 6;o. Concert between him and Marl- borough, 651. His views, 652. Bothmar, Baron de, the Hannoverian envoy, arrives in London, ii. 504. His fchemes with Marl- borough and the Whigf, 530. Bothmiel bridge, rout at, i. 296. Bouchain, Town of, taken, ii. 4S7. Boufflers, Marefchal de, taken priloiier by the Eng- lilh at Namur, ii. 87. Boyne, battle of, i. 659. Boyle, Mr. flain in the iirll Dutch war on board the Duke of York's fhip, i. 75. Bredalbin, Earl, correfponds with the late King, ii. 33. His engagements with the court of St. Ger- mains, 308. Bradjhaiu, ferjeant, a regicide, attainted though dead, i. 46. Brandon, Lord, attends the Duke of Monmouth in his difgrice, i. 303. Monmouth accufes him in the Popifh plot, 407. is pardoned, 461. Bridgman, Sir Orlando, loid keeper, i. 103. Re- figns, 168. Briflol, Earl, his charge of treafon againfl Clarendon, i. 5 8. Propofes a journey to Italy to find a new wife for the King, i. n6. Bromley, William, chofen fpeaker of the houfe of commons, ii. 468. Brounker, ■ , his remarkable behaviour on board the Duke of York's Ihip in the flrft Dutch war, i. 76, For which he \% expelled the houie of commons, 77. Brun/n.f;ick Zell, Duke of, defeats the Prench, i. 205. IViarries his daughter to the Bifhop of Ofna- burg, 400. Buckingham, Villlers Duke of, chofen head oF the faflion in parliament, i, 9). H.'s iiifinuations againft Clarendon, 1O3. His intrigues againfl the Duke of Ormond, 114. His violent fchemes againft the Duke of York, 117. His charader, 132. A member of the cabal, ib. Chofen chan-r cellor of the univerfity of Cambridge, i\j. Is fent ambalfador extraordinary to treat with the States for peace, 165. Superfeded by the King in the chancellorfliip of Cambridge, 199. Sent to the Tower for moving in the houfe of lords that the parliament was legally diiToIved by a rt- cefs of fifteen months, 217. His oppofiiion in parliament, 232. His attempt to get into the magillracy of London, 334, ' ; — — — — , Sheffield, Duke of, his correfpondence with the Eleftor of Hannover, and with the court of St. Germains, ii, 466. Endeavours to lay the defigns of the Whigs and Prince Eugene befor« the parliament, 534. But is difappointed by Ox- ford, 535. - _^ , ^^ ^ 4 P aistB43siH .^n .isnidgj adjci I'jf N D E X. Burnet, Doflor, i. n^. Buyi, M. de, tlie Dutch envoy, his intrigues, ii. 499- Byug. admiral, Sir Georpe, engages ihe French •^^fitet in a running figlit, ii. 389. C. Cilia/, chnrafter of, i. 131. Their Council?, 136. Caermarthoi, Marquis, his attachment to the late "jJCiiig, ii. ^, Engages to deliver Hull to him as S'Toon as he ftiould land in England, 52, Created Duke of Leeds, 65. Sen Leeds. Cadogan, general, his corrupt prafticcs, ii. 398. Camlridge, Univcrfity of, an attempt to introduce PapiOs into it, i. ^184, Canaiiles, the Marquis dc, the Spaniih ambaflador, his violent memorial to the lords of the regency, o. Refufes their ambafladors a heating, i66. Sends ambafladors to Holland to propofe teims of peace, ib. Makes promotions, i(j8. Afiembles his parliament, 173. Recalls his declaration of indulj^cncc, 175. Is urged by Shafieibucy to own tiie legi imacy of Monmnuih, 178. U'liich he abfolutely refufes, ib. AfTembles his paiiiauiCDt, 186. Difmifi'.-s .\6haftefbuiy, 189. Makes pence with the Dutch, 3' 1-94. Mediiatcs in vain a peace bctaccn Fiance jXand the States, 197^ Changes bis niinillry, ig(). t!'Ga'ns'the city, 200. Receives its fieedom, ib. XHis negociations v-iili the Prince of Orange to 'inake peace with France, zci. Enforces the laws againft non-conformilfs, 202. Calls his parlia- ment, 2OJ. Enters into a new feciet treaty with France, :o8. Reprimands the commons in fevere terms for encroaching on his prerogatives, 220. Adjourrs them, ib. His view;, 224. Receives the Prince of Orange with affVdion and efteem, 22^, And gives him his niece, the Princefs Mary, in marriage, ib. be'.tlc.s in concert with the Prince, the plan of a general peace, 226. Requires the French King in two days either to accept or rejeft it, 227. His duplicity, 228. Concludes a treaty with Spain and the States, 229, Calls his parliament, ib. Is itnpottuned by them to declare war againlf the French, 234. Enters into a money treaty with France, 237. Con- cludes a general peace at Nimeguen, 240. En- deavours in vam, and why, to bieak the peace of Nimeguen, 242. Canfe of his eagernefs for war, 243. Is diflreffed by his fubjedts, 245. Is informed by Kirby of the Popifh plot, 248. Which he difbelieves, 249. Calls his parliament, 258. Diflblvei it, 277. Advifts the Duke of York in vain to conform to the eftablifhed religion, jb. Orders him to retiie abroad, 278. Difaiows the legitimacy of Monmouth, ib. Makes ineffec- tual propofals for .-i new treaty to the French King, 271). Calls a new parliament, ib. Re- jedis the ipeaker of the houfe of commons, 280. Pardons Danby, 282. Chufes a new privy- council, 283. Pafies the habeas corpus ad, 288. DifTolvcs the parliament, 290. Senas Monmouth to quafh the infurreftion in Scotlsnd, 296. Com- pliments him at his return with the title of High- nets, 297. Falls fick, 300. Difgraces Mon» . mouth, and orders him to quit the kingdom, 302. Refufes to admit him into his prefence, 304. Afiembles a new parliament, 312, Encourages the Whigs, 315. His policy, 320. Permits trie Duke of York to go to Scotland, 322. Diflblves the parliament, 338. Permits the Duke of York to negociate a fecre-t treaty with France, 341. Calls a parliament to meet at Oxford, 344, Dif- folves it, 347, To vindicate his conduft be iffues a declaration, 3JI, Which produces addrelies from all quarter?, 3;; 2. Reprimsiido tlie cityf. 353. Sends Mr. Hyde to Scotland to inireat thei Duke of York to conform. 362. Enters into a new treaty with Lewis XIV, 364. is piefented with a joint leinonltrance from Spilin and (he States to clofe with his parliament, 36;. Is vifited by the Prince cf Oiangc, 366. His conference with him, ib. Paifive obedience of his fubjciits, 370. By irregular means he pofl'ciTes biml'elf of tHe city, 376. Iliucs the writ of qva luarranto, 382*. A confpiiacy formed againll his life, 385. VVhi.h is prevented by an accident, 391. Confpiraiors feized and puniflied, 393. Marries his niece, ihe Lady Anne, to Pririce George of Denm-irk, 599. Iffues a declaration concerning the Rye houfe plot, 400. Appoints the city magiifrates, 401. Pardons Monmouth upon his confeffion, 407. But having reiradled he forbids him the court, ib> Raifes the Duke of York to the ofHceof lord high- admiral, 412. Makes ch:inges and promotions, 414. His fituation at home and abroad, 418. His death, 420. And behaviour in his lall mo- ment', 421. His charafler, 423. Charles II. King oi Spain, ii. 125. See Spaim CharUroi taken by the French, ii. 43. Charnock, — — — , his concern in a confpiracy againll the life cf King William, ii. 106, Con-- demned and executed, uo» Chatham, difgrace at, i. q;. ,'> Churchill, John, a domelHck cf the Duke of York, attends him from Bruflels to London, i, 301. His mefiage to the King, 340. One of the few whom the Duke took along with him when he efcapfd fliipwreck near the Lemon and Ore, 375. Created a lord, and fent by King James to the French court to announce the death of his brother, 431. Offers his fervice to the Prince of Orange, 4S4, His fuppnfed defign to feize King James and to carry him to the Prince, 530. Joins the Prince of Orange,^ ib. Clarendon, Earl, abets the Portugal match, i. 30. Briilol's charge of ireafon againll him, 58. His charafier, 98. His credit declines, 99. And why, ib. Refigns the feals, ico. Js attacked by the commons, 101. Impeached, 102. Re- tires abroad, ib. Is baniihed by aft of parlia- ment, ib. , Farl, offers his fervice to the Prince of Orange, i. 48). Clifford^ Sir Thomas, his characler, i. 132. One of the cabal, ib. created a lord, 15(1. Lord- treafurer, 169. Refigns all his employments, 184. Cochran, Sir John, an agent of the court of St. Germains in England, ii. 4. -, Sir James, his concern in Monmouth's confpiracy, i. 390. Ceke, r N D X. Ccie, -, commiUed to the Tower, for a fpecch ill the houfe of commons, i. 460. Coleman, Mr. accufed by Otes in the popifh plot, i. 251, Js feized, ib. His letters, 2<2. Tried, condemned, and executed, 267. io?tT"(3jCfn College, , tried and condemned, J. 3 5'8.' Comprehenjion, fcheme of, i. 145. Conde, Prince of, defeats the Prince of Orange at Se- rieft, i. 198. Coniiention, of ellatcs, alTembled by the Prince of Orange, i, 5^6. Vote an addrefs of thanks to him, i,i;8. 'i he grand refolve, 560. Debates in ihe houfe of lords, t;6i. A letter from King James •rejeded, 563. Conference between the houfes, 565. They declare the Prince and Princefs of Orange King and Queen, 566. Their declaration of rights, 568. Converted into a parliament, 571. Co ke, a regicide, tried and condemned, i. 12. , Sir Thomas, governor of the Eall-India com- pany, makes a difcovery to parliament of corrupt pradl ces, ii. 81, Copenhagen, city of, bombarded by the combined fleets of England, Holland, and Sweden, ii. 18;. Carnbury, Lord, the firft who joined the Prince of Orange, i. 527. Cornijh, , chofen fherifF of Middlefex, i. 319. Tried and executed, 455. His blood reftored by aft of parliament, 61 3. Corporation, aft of, 1. 39. Corporations refign their charters, i 383. Courtney, Sir William, enters into MonmOLith's con- ipiracy, i. 388. Coventry, Sir William, in office, i. 103. DifmiiTed, 114. , Sir John, an affault on his perfon, i. 142. i^ , Sir Henry, fent ambalTador to Sweden, i. 150. Is fecretary of ilate, 169. ■ aft, i. 143. Crawford, governor, undertakes to deliver the fort of Sheertiefs to the late King, ii. 5Z. D. Danby, Earl of, lod high treafurer, i. 200. Abetts the Popiih plot, 257. His letters to Montague, 269. Is impeached, 270. His defence, 272. Par- doned, i8z. Admit:ed to bai', 411. Offers his fervice to the Prince of Orange, 484. Sends an inviation to him, 506. Declares for that Prince, 532. Favours the tight of the Princefs of Orange to the thione, 555. With Halifax, Shrewsbury, and forne others, he is called to a converfation with the prince, 564. See Caermarthen. J3atigerfi(ld, , his hiftory and plot, i. 307. Fined and pilloried, 432. Dartmouth, Loid, commands the fleet, i. 524. Is prevented by contrary winds from fighting the Dutch, 525, Offers his ftrirkes to the late ICing, 681. D^Avaux, Count, prefents a threatening memorial to the States, in the name of the French King, i. 511. Attends King James to Ireland, 601.. His conduft toward that Prince, 628. Da-vis, Mrs. a favourite of Charles If. i. 142. Dtlamere, Lord, enga!;es with Monmouth, Ruflel, and others in a confpiracy, i. 389. Is acquitted and pardoned, 461. Takes up arms for the Prince of Orange, 532. Is fent with others by him, to delire the King to leave London, J44. Ddanjal, Admiral, Sir lialph, commands the red fquadron in the battle of la Hogue, ii. 13. One of the commiflioners of the admiralty, 37. Com- mands the •flett, 4t']. Favours the views of the late King. 50. Is difmilTed, 6;. Denmark, Prince George of, marries the Lady Anne, daughter of the Duke of York, i. 359. Deferts King James, and joins the Prince of Orange, 53 1, Is ford high-admiral of England, ii. 233. An eventual penfion fettled on him by his wife, now Queen Anne, 246. His death, 402. And cha- rafter, ib. ■ ■ ■, Frederick III, King of, his treacherous behaviour in the affair of Bergen, i, 78, Enters into a treaty with the King of England, and with the Dutch, 79. Adheres to his engagements with the latter in the war againft England, 3i. Enters Sweden with an army, 2C9. But is defeated at Lunden, and forced to retire, ib. Chriflian V. King of, 399. Dies, ii. |63. and is fucceeded by his fon, Frederick IV. ib. Who is forced into a treaty with Sweden, 1S5. Is defeated by the Swedes, 446. De Ruyter, a Dutch admiral, takes all the Engljfh acquifi;ions except Cape Corfe on the coail of Guinea, i. 71. Commands the Dutch fleet, 83. Fights Albemarle, 84. Beats him, ib. Surprifes the Duke of Yoik, 158. Engages him at South- wold-Bay, ib. And is defeated, 160. Engages Prince Rupert, 182. Retires before him, 183. Killed in battle with the French before Medina, 209. Derry, fiege of, i. 631. Raifed, 634, D'Ejie, Mary, a princefs of Modena, married to the Duke of York, i. 186. D'Ejirees, a French admiral, i. 156. De-vonjhire, Earl, offers his fervlce to the Prince of Orange, i. 484. Sends an invitation to the Prince to come to England, ;o6. Declares for him, 532, Is fuppofed to favour the excluded family, ii. 4. , Duke, fcis engagements with the court of St. Germains, ii. 95. , Duchefs, an agent for the late King, ii. De Wit, penfionary, the States place a diftatorial power in hisJiands, i. 71. His clofe engagements with I N D X. Ill 21 ': with the French King, 79. Lewis XIV. joins him in the war againll England, 81. Gains Denmari; by a fubfidy, ib. Goes aboard the Dutch fleet, 83. Oppofes in vain the Prince of Orange's eleftion to the ftadtholderfliip, 164. Is accufcd of a delign to poifon the Prince, 166. He is murdered, with his brother, at the Hague, 169. His chjrafter, ib. DoHaivert, talcen by the allies, ii. 294. Don John, of Aullria, commands with fuccefs the Spanifh army againll Portugal, i. 62. Is routed by thePortuguefe and their auxiliaries, ib. Takes up arms againft the Queen-regent of Spain, 322. Is declared prime minilier of that kingdom, ib. Douglas, Sir Jofeph, drowned, near the Lemon and Ore, on his way with the Duke of York to Scot- land, i. ^575. , General, befieges Athlone, i, 665. His cruel behaviour, ib. Po'vei; conference at, i, 126. • , Lord, a member of the Popilh cabinet, i. 465. Is fent from Ireland by King James, ambafl'ador 10 the French court, 633. DoTuning, Sir George, ambaflador to the States-ge- neral, his vigilance in feizing Okey and Barkllead, two regicides, 46. Dugdale, a new evidence in the Popilh plot, i. 288. Dundee. Vifcount, attends King James to Rochefter, ,i. 546. His fpirited council to that Prince, ib, ,Secedes from the convention of Scotland, 592. Leaves Edinburgh at the head of fifty horfe, ib. Goes to Invernefs, 615. Settles a difference be- ,. tween that town and Macdonald of Keppoch, ib. ^ Retires to Lcchaber, ib. Where he holds a gene- ' ral rendezvous of the chiefs of clans, 616. Many join him, ib. Takes the caftle of Ruthven, ib. jGoes again to Lochaber, 617. Marches againll ' 'the enemy, 618. Meets them at Rinrcry, ib." De- feats Mackay, 619. His death and charader, 620. Dunfermling, Earl, joins the Vifcount Dundee, i. 6,5. Dunkirk, fold to the French, i. 5 c, Delivered up to the Englifh, ii. 563. Dumbarton, Earl, attends King James to Rochefter, i. 'iifi. Drumore, rout at, i. 599. EaJI-Iniia-ccmpany , their corrupt praflices detefled, I. 80. A new company eltabliflied by a£l.of par- liament, 146. v."' -,!, ,^,, Ecclejiajiical commiJIitin, court of, 1. 471. They fiif- pend the biihop of London, 472. And Dr. Sharp, ib. They deprive Dr. Hough, and fufpend the vice prefident of Magdalen-college, 486. Errot, Earl of^ his attachment to the excluded fa- mily, ii. 308. Promifes them his fervice, 374. Efcric, Lord Howard of, is acquitted, i. 369. En- gages in Monmouth'i confpiracy, 389. Is fcIzeJ, 393. Is evidence againft Rufi'el, 394, Againft Sidney, 403. And againft Hampden, 410. ,::_ EJj'ex, Earl, lord-lieuteriant of Ireland, i. 156. Is made firft commiflioncr of the treafury, 284. Re- figns, 310. But joins not the oppofuion, 311. Retires from the council, 339. Engages witli Monmouth, Ruflel, and others, in a confpiracv, 387. Is feizcd, 393. Dies by his own hand in the Tower, 398. Eugene, Prince of Savoy, is defeated by the French, li. 4;. Obtains a viilory over the Turks at Zenta, 136. Defeats the French at Carpi, 210. And at Chiari, 211. His fuccefs at Turin, 344. Lavs fiege to Toulon, in vain, 370. Takes Lille, 396. Is one of the arbiters of Europe, 410. His cha- racter, 526. At the felicitation of the Whigs he comes to England, 527. His projefts, in concert with Marlborough, 528. His violent propofal, 531. His fchemes difappointed, ib. Is difgufted with the Whigs, 532. Departs, 541. Ei/ertfon, a Dutch admiral, flain, i. 84. , another commands the Dutch fleet, i. 669, Exchequer, lliut, i. 151. Exdujion, bill of, i. 286. F. Falmouth, Earl, killed on board the Duke of yorjg*? fhip in the firft Dutch war, 75. . ' --> Fanjhaiu, Sir Richard, ambaflador to Spain, 1. 79. Farmer, Mr. recommended by mandate to the prefi- dentlhip of the college of St. Mary Magdalen, Ox- ford, i. 485. Rejeded, ib. Fauconberg, Lord, one of the council of thirty, i, 284. Carries a letter from Monmouth to the King, 304. Which he refufes to open, ib. Fen-wick, Sir John, his cafe, ii. 1 2 1. He is attainted. and executed, 122. ..n'jj Fergufon, — — , enters with RuITel and otherriiito a confpiracy, i. 589. Attends the Earl of Shaftef- bury to Holland, ib. Flies, 393. Attends Mon- mouth in his expedition againft England, 4^1. \s taken, but difmiffed without puniihraent, ib. Be- comes an agent for the court of St. Gerraains, ii. 4. Intieats King James to invade England, 52. Difcovers the Scotilh plot, 286. ■ _ Ferria, Francijco, an evidence in the Popifli pIqL-i. 326. ['■',., Fever/ham, Earl, fent ambafTador to the French court, to require Lewis XIV. in the fpace of two days, either to accept or refufe terms of pesce, i. 227. Commands the Englifti army, 446. Defeats Mon- mouth at Sedgmoor, 447. His cruelties to the infurgents, 45 1 . Carries a letter from King James ~ to the Prince of Orange, 542. Who commits hijn ptii'oner to Windfor-caftle, 543, .' Frfth' INDEX. 'Fifth monarchy-men, their infurreiSlion, i. 17. Jinch, Sir Hcneage, lord- high-chancellor of England, i. 189. Tijher, Captsin, difcovers a confpiracy againft the lile of King William, ii. 107. ^itz-harrij, his hillory, i. 341. His libel, 342. Its efi'eds oil the Duice of York, 343. h conjeraned and executed, 35^. TUtcher, Andreiu, of Salton, a Scotfman, attends Monmouth in his expedition againll England, 445. Leaves his camp, and why, ib. His cliarader and hillory, ii. 267. Oppofcs the union, 355. Fleiirus, battle of, in which ilit Dutch and Spaniards are defeated by the French, i, 673, Foley, Mr. chofen fpeaker of the houfe of commons, ii. gS. Fourhin, M. de, a French admiral, carries the Pre- tender to the coal! of Scotland, ii. 388. But re- fufes to land him there, 389. And returns to Dunkirk, ib. France, Lewis XIV. King of, forwards a marriage between Charles IL King of England, and a daughter of the King of b'ortugal, i- 3 I . Buys iJunkirk from the Englidi for 400,000 pounds, 50. Fall.", on the dominions of the Duke of Lor- rain, 63, Evades an alliance with the King of England, 80. Joins tlie Dutch in the war againll that kingdom, 81. Concludes a treaty with Charles Jl, 9!]. His character, 105. His haugluinefs to •ether powers, 106. Concludes a tieaty of peace at Aix la-Chapelle, !o3. Enters into fecret ne- gociations with the King of England, 123. Sends the Dutchefs of Orleans to that kingdom to induce her brother to make war on the States, 125. Conditions of the treaty between the French King and Charles II. 127. Invades and conquers the dominions of the Duke of Lorrain, 137. Declares war againft the Dutch, 154. Joins his fleet to that of England, 156. Progrefs of his armies into the territories of the States, 161. Reduces three provinces, 162. Recals them, ib. His fleet avoids to aid their allies the Englilh, 1S2. Takes Maeflricht, 183. Succefs of his arms in Germany and Flanders, 198. An unfuccefsful campaign, 206. Enters into a new fecret treaty with the King of England, 20:^. His fleet defeats tl>e Dutch and fuccours Mellini, 209. Offers terms of peace to Spain and the S'ates, 214. T.ikes Valenciennes, Cambray, and St, Onier, .218, And defeats the Prince of Orange at Ca,Tel, ib. His negociations for peace, 223. State of his finances, ib. Is required by the King ot England, in the fpace of two days, to accept or refufe terms of peace, 227. His dexterous evafion, ib. His armicii take Ghent and Ypres, 237. Enters into a money-treaty with Charles the Second, 238. Concludes a foparate peace with the States, at Nimcguen, 240. Refufci to pay to the Kjn^ of England the fubiidy rtipulaied for his neutrality, 243. Declinei to enter into another treaty with that Prince, 279. Negociations re- newed for that purpofe through the Duke of York, 340. A new treaty is concluded, 364. His en- croachments on the Spanifh monarchy, ib. Refafes Ills confent to the principality of the houfe of Orange, 408. Demands Aloft from the Spaniards, 417. Blockades Luxembourg, ib. It is ceded to him, 418. Makes peace with Spain at Ratifbon, ib. Revokes the edift of Nantz, 461. Offers his ainrtance to King James againll the Prince of O- raiij^c, 509. Prefents by his ambaflador a threat ■ ening memorial to the States, againft the intended expedition of the Prince of Orange, 5 lo. Receives Jnnies II. into his dominions, 547. Furnifhes that Prince with an army, and traniports him to Ire- land, 600. At war with England, 605. Defeats her fleet, 607. Takes iWentz, 640. His projeils in favour of Kiflg James, 662. Defeats the Eng- lifh and Dutch fleets, 670. Defeats the confede- rates at Fleurus, 673. Succefs of his arms in Ger- many, 674. Takes Mons, 684. Liftens to a pro. jcd of an invafion of England under the late King, ii. 8. His preparations for that purpofe, 9. His fleet is defeated by the Englifli and Dutch off La Hogue, 12. Commands in perfjn his army, 1 6. Takes Namur, 17. Returns to Verfailles, ib. His army defeats the Englifh, under King William, at Steinkirk, 18. And again at Lan- den, 42. Takes Charleroi, 43. His army is defeated and Namur taken, 86. He furnifhes James with the means to invade England, ,06, The exhaufted ftate of his kingdom, 113. His intrigues and defire of peace, 114. Gains the Duke of Savoy, 117. Concludes a peace with England and the Empire, at Rifwick, 135. His negociations in Spain, 149. Propofes a partition treaty to the King of England, 150. Concludes it, is6. Concludes another, 183. Accepts the will of the King of Spain in favour of the Duke of Anjou, 191, His army is defeated by Prince Eugene at Carpi, 21^. And at Chiari, 211. Ex- haufted ftate of his dominions, 212. He declares the fon of the late exiled King James 11. King of Great Britain and Ireland, 215. At war with Eng- land and the Dutch, 234. A favourable cam- paign, 273. His army li defeated by the confe- derates at Blenheim, 296. But fuccefsful in Italy, 299. Defeated at Ramillies, 342. And at Turin, 344. He offers terras of pca:e, 362. Which are rejefled, ib. His dillrefs, 365. His army under the Duke of Berwick, defeats the Englifh and Por- tuguefe at Almaaza, 366. He prevents the de- figns of thj allies on Toulon, 371, Threatens to invade England, 388. Sends a fleet with the Pre- tender to the coafl of Scotland, ib. Which re- turns without effeff, 389. His army takes Ghent, Antwerp, and Bruges, 394. But is defeated at Oudenarde, 395. He offers peace, 409. But in vain. I,, N D E X. vain, 412. Ill's melancholy fituation, ib. Oflcrs cxtrao, di.ury terms 4 t 4. Which are rejcfled by the allies, 4r5. Refules to aid the Pretender, 41 S. His army is defeated at Malp!acqiict, 424. And ■■■'Mons taken by the allies, ib. Takes the illand of "St. Thomas ar.d Fort St. John, 427. He makes overtures for peace, 428. Offers preliminaries, ■4^7 Douay, Bethune, St. Vincent, and Aire, loft to the allies, 440. His army defeats them at Villa-viciofa, 441 . His condition and views, 488. His memorial to the court of England, 491. Sends Menagcr privately to London, 493- Death of tlie princes of, 543. His arguments concerning here- ditary right, 545. Refufes to deliver up Dunkirk, <:62 Agrees however at the rcqueft of the Queen of England, 563. And a fufpenfion of arms is de- clared, ib. Defeats the allies at Denain, 564. His rapid progref;, 565. „ .■ o w Frafer, Captain Simon, his charafler, ii. 281. His hiftory and crimes, 282. Is pardoned, 'b. Flies to Fiance, 283. Returns, and engage, himlelt with Queenfberry, 284. His conduit m Scotland, 5b. G^esagain to France, 28.;. Is thrown mto the Baftile, iSo. His plot difcoveied by Fe.gu- fon, ib. G. Gahjoaf, Earl, commands the Englilh army m Por- tugal, with fuccefs, ii. 346. Is totally deleated by the French at Almanza, 366. Gfl««^ Mrs. her trial, i. 455. Gaubier, Abbe, a French fpy in London, 11. 491. Gai, a Jefuit, accufed in the Popilli plot, 1. 251. Germany, Leopold, Emperor of, joins the Du.ch agaiuli France, i. 197- At peace with France, 418. OppofesthepeaceofRilWick, II. 124. And why 125. Is at peace vviih the Porte, 164. His refentment againft France, 192. Jofeph, emperor of in conjunaion wiih the allies, obtains a vic- tory over the French at Blerheim, 295. By which the dominions of ihe eledor of Bavaria fall into his hand;, ib. Defeats the French at Turin, 344- Dies, 384. Charles III. King of Spain, is cholen Emperor of, 4S-. Is encouraged by the Whigs in Enoland to continue the v,ar, 612. Gertniydenherg, fiuitlefs confcre.iccs for peace at, 11. 438. Gibraltar, taken by ihc EngliOi, 11. 299. Gir.ckie, naron dc, a Dutcliman, left with Solmes m the command of the aimy in Ireland, 1, 6' ii. Takes Athlpne, 692. Defeas the IriHi at Aghnm, 693. . Gkncaini, Ead, chancellor of Scoiland, 1. 22. GUnco, iVIacdoiiald of, joins the Vifctunt Dundee, ~— . niaffacre of, i. 70 u And obfervauons thereoii, 703. Vol. IL Gknrary, Macdonald of, joins Dundee, 6,16. -. Glouce/ler, Henry, Duke of, i. 14. His charaL.er, ib. .,,... . ^—, William, Duke of, his death, 11. 189. •_ Godfrey, Sir Edmund-Bury.'his extraordinary death, i. 21: 3. Strikes a general panic into the nation, 254. Hisbody is expofed to public view, ib. And bu- ried with a melancholy folemnity, 255. Rejec- tions, ib. , - (• 1 Godolphin, Sidney, is gained to the views ot tiie Prince of Orange, i. 3 " . Made fecretary of ftae. 413. Firft commlflioner of the treai'ury, ib. And foon after created a baron, by the fame name, ib. Sent by King James to treat with the Prince ot Orange, 533, Offers his fcrvice to the late King, 680. One of his friends, ii. 5. His interview with Lloyd, the agent of the court of St. Gsr- mains, 63. Informs James of the defign upon Breft, 67. Is accufed by Sir John Ftnwick of coTrefpondlng with the excluded King, 121. Is made fi.it commiffioner of the treafury, 1 94. Sup- planted in his office, ZI9. Is lord-high-treafurer of England, 232. His correfpondence with the late King, 233. His intrigues with the court ot St. Germains, 303. Is intimidated, and joins the Whigs, 320. His fecret conduft, 339. Is ful- pefted of a defign to break the union, 377. An oppofition formed againft him, 379. His intrigue* in favour of the Pretender, 417. His imprudent condua, 449. His credit declines, 452. Is dif- miffed, 455. His attachment to the excluded fa- mily, 461. And fuppofed projea in favour of the Pretender, ib. His charadler, 463. His in- trigues with Prince Eugene and the Whigs, 532, G'aodenough, , an inferior member of Mon- mouth's confpiracy, i. 390. f^,. , . Gordon, Duke, governor of the caftle of Edinburgh, i. 589. Declared a traitor, 590. Surrenders the c'aille upon honourable terms, 615. Favours the views of the Pictender, and promifes him his fcr- vices, ii. 374. , r * j , Dutchefs of, prefents the faculty of Advo- cates with a medal of the Pretender, 11. 505. Gour'vilU, M. de, i. 108. Grafton, Duke of, joins the Prince of Orange, i. 530. Graham, of Claverhoufe, his aftivity againft the co- venantcrs, i. 29^ iit Dundee. Grand-jal, , the pretend, d aflaffin in a confpi- racy ."gainft the life of King William lU. executed, ii. 18. fu 1 1 Great. Britain, the united kingdoms of England and Scotland take that name, ii. 304. Greenville, -Sir Richard, his actufation of S.'r Edward Hyde, i. 101. ^. . ■ , Green rillon-club, a faaious fociety, headed % the E?rl of Sh;.fxlbuiy, i. 308. Their projefi of burn- ing the Pope and the Devil with reuiaikable Ib- Itmnity, ib. .4 Q, <^"S-> I N D Grtg, , tried, condemned, and executed, for betraying the defigns of England to the French, Gregory, Serjeant, i. 281. Gren-ville, Colonel, engages to join the late King whenever he fhould land in England, ii. 52. Griy, Lord, prcfents the Duke of York to the grand inryof Middlefex, as a Popifti recufant, i. 317. Engages in iVIonmouth's confpiracy, 387. Is taken, 393. But efcapes from the meiTengers, ib. At- tends Monmouth in his expedition againft Eng- land, 4.).;. His cowardly conduft, ib. He is, upon a full difcovery of the Rye-houfe plot, par- doned, 491. Guilford, Lord, his fentiments concerning the Pro- leilant fucctflion, ii. 629. Gu'fcard, IVlarquis de, a Frenchman, his expedition to the conll of France, ii. 347. His hirtory, 474. Betrays the Englilh miniftry to the court of France, 475. Is apprehended, and brought before the council, 476. Stabs the lord-treafurer Hailey, ih. Wounded by St. John, ib. He dies foon after in Newgate, ib. Guthrie, a vitlent Scotifti preacher, executed, i. 23. Guy, , fecretary of the treafury, fent to tlie Tower for receiving a bribe, ii. 78. Givi?!, Mrs. millrefs 10 Chaiks II, i, 142. G-Mynne, Sir Rowland, his letter, ii. 337. H. Jlaleas corpus aB, paflcd, i. 2S7. Its niture, and how neceflary, 288, Hales, Sir Edward, his cafe, i. 467. How brought about, and for what purpofe, by the King, ib. Decided in his favour, 468. He attends King James in his flight, 538. Halifax, Lord, a privy-counfellor, i. 156. Is am- bafiador-extraordinary to treat with tiie States for peace, 16;. One of the council cf thirty, 284. Is made an earl, 310. Retires from the council, ib. His fpeech againft the exclufion bill, 326, His expedient, 327. A marquis, and prefident of the council, 428. Is fent by King James to treat with the Prince of Orange, 533. Is fent by the Prince to defire King James to retire from London, 544. Favours the Prince's views on the throne, 554. Is chcd-n fpeaker of the upper affembly of the con- vention, 5 i6. Is called to a converfation with the Prince of Orange, 564. , Lord, li. 194. Is impeached, 204. His intrigues and fchemes with Prince Eugene, 531. Writes in the name of his party, the Wh'gs, to the Eleflor of Hannover, 468. Hami'.ton, Duke, his oppofition to the adminiftration of Lauderdale, i. 212. Repairs to London, to lay the giievances cf his Scoti(h fubjefts before the King, ib. Is chofen prefident of the convention E X. in Scotland, 589. Is commiffioner to a parliament there, 614. , another Duke of, protefts againft the fit- ting of the Scotith parliament, ii. 237. His cha- racter, and a hiilory of him, 258. His inflruc- tions from the court of St. Gerniainf, ib. His conduft in parliament, 259. His intrigues with the exiled family, 308. Oppofes the union with eloquence and fpirit, 355. His patent, as a peer of Great Britain, rejeded by the lords, 511, \i killed in a duel, 577. Lord Bafil, comes to London to addref: the King in behalf of the Scottifh adventurers, li. 178. Is lefufed admittance, ib. Hampden, , engages in Monmouth's confpiracy, i. 3S9. Is (eized, 393. FineJ, 410. And par- doned, 461. His tine remitted, ib. is made chancellor of the exchequer, 651. Hannover, Duke of, joins the King of England in the war againft France, ii. 16. Is acknowledged Eleftor of, 441. Declines the command of the Imperial army on the Upper Rhine, ib. The Queen and her miniflers profefs great zeal and attachment to him and his family, 467. He oppofes the peace, 499. Is alarmed at the Scotifti medal, 506. His projects, 57Z. His jealoufy of the Queen and her miniftry, <^'f>\. Becomes indifferent about the fuc- ceffion, 585. The Whigs demand money in vain from him, 610. Defpondence of his fervants, 625. Refufes to gratify the Whigs, 633. A writ as a peer of Great Britain, for the Prince, demanded, 640. Tlie Eleftor's demands, 642. ■ — , Sophia, Dutchefs of, named by the Lords in the fuccefiion to the crown of England, i. 610. Eleftrefs of, ii. 200. The fuccefiion fettled on her and the heirs of her body, ib. Harcourt, Sir Simon, refigns his ofiice of attorney, general, ii. 386. Is made lord high-chancellor, 46;. Defigns of the Whigs againft his life, 533. His intrigues, 643. i/a)-/£>, Robert, chofen fpeaker of the houfe of com- mons, ii. 19;. Is made fecretary of ftate, 292. His influence with the Queen, 379. Oppofes Go- dolphin, ib. His intrigues in concert with Mrs. Mafham, 384. Refigns, 386. His intrigues, 429. His fchemes for power, 449. Is made chancellor cf the exchequer, 4^5. Makes fervile profeffions of attachment to the Elefloral family, 467. Is flabbed by the Marquis de Guilcard, 476. Made Earl of Oxford and lord treafurer, ib. See Oxford. Hedges, Sir Charles, made fecretary of ftate, ii. 194, Difmiffed, 219. Heinjius, penfionary, one of the arbiters of Europe, ii. 410. Henrietta, Princefs, comes to England, i. 14. Re- turns to France, 17. Herbert, Admiral, goes to Holland, and joins the Piincc of Orange in his expedition to England, i. 507. I N D i. 507. Commands the fleet againft France, 607. Hetvey, Lady, a charsderof her by the Duke of York, i. 11;. Heivit, Sir Georje, his death-bed confeflion, i. 530. Hili, Colonel, ii. 41,0. Holland, republic of, at variance with England, i. 70. And wh) , ib. They fend Van Gough their am- bafiaJor to the court of London, 71. Place a dic- tatorial power in the hands of the Penfionary de Wit, ib. Their fleet, under De Ruyter, talces the acquifuions of England, on the coall of Guinea, without oppofition, ib. At fea under Opdam, 74. Engage the Englilh fleet, and are defeated, 75. Their confternation, 77. France and Denmark join them, 81. Their fleet, under De Ruyter, with De Wit himfelf on board, engage the ?ng- lifli in the battle of four days, 83. Defeated, 86. They burn the Englifh fleet at Chatham, and in- fult the coall, 94. Conclude the triple alliance with Kngland at Breda, 107. Their Smyrna fltet attacked by the Englilh, 153. They are at war with England and France, 154 Their fleet, under De Ruyter, furprifes the Duke of York, 158. A battle enfues at Southwold bay, ib. In which they are defeated, 1 59. Three of their provinces re- duced by the French, l6z. Their unprepared con- dition, ib, Raife the Prince of Orange to the ftadt- holderfhip, 165. Send deputies to England to treat about a peace, ib. A congrefs is held for that pur- pofe at Utrecht, 166. They rejeft the propofals of England and France, ib. The Penfionary De Wit and his brother are barbaroufly murdered by a mob at the Hague, 167. The war by fea de- cifive on no fide, 1S2, By land, favourable for the States, 183. An inefFeilual congrefs for the reftoration of peace held at Cologn, 184. A peace with England, 194. Charles II. mediates a peace in vain between them and the French King, 197. They are joined by Spain and the Empire, ib. By land in fome meafure fuccefsful, zo6. Defeated at fea by the French, and De Ruyter killed, 209. Their bad fuccefs by land, 210. Their negocia- tions for peace, 223. A treaty with England con- cluded, 229, They make a feparate treaty with France at Nimeguen, 240. Their army, notwith- ftanding, under the Prince of Orange, fall, but with no luccefs, upon the French at St. Dennis, 242. Send a memorial to the King cf England, requeu- ing him to prorogue his parliament, 338. Join with Spain in a remonftrance to Charles 11. againit the diflblution of his parliament, 365. The depu- ties of Amfterdam at variance with the Prince of Orange, 409. Infolence of the States to the King of England, 495. Prepare for war, 508. I'hey furnifh the Prince of Orange with a fleet and troops to invade England, 523. Their fleet defeated by the French, 670, And their army at Fleurus, 673. i X. King William IIT. of England, their ftadtholder, holds a conference at the Hag e, 6S3. They en- gage to profecutc the war agiinft P'rance, ib. Agree to the firft partition treaty, ii. 156. The Qiicen of England engages by letter to fiipport tliem in the war againft France, 230. Hoftilities com- menced, 534. Take Keyferwaert and Landau from the French, 240. Hollis, Den7.il, created a peer, i. 82. Sent ambaf- fador 10 Paris, 79, And to Breda, 94. Holmes, Sir Robert, fent with a fleet to Cape \'erde, i. 70. Attacks the Dutch Smyrna fleet, i C4. Hooke, colonel, fent by the French King to Scotland, li. 35Z. His negociations, 37;. Horn, — — , of VVefthall, is appointed by the faculty of advocates at Edinburgh to thank the Dutchefs of Gordon for her medal, ii. 50;. Hi^tham, Sir Jolin, his concern in the Rye-houfe plot, i. 407. Humey Earl, favours the views of the court of St. Germains, i. 688. Seized and coi-iined, ib. Hunt, colonel, his valour in the battle of A.-nexial, i. 62. Huntingd.n, Earl, prefcnts the Duki of York for a Popilh recufant, i. 317. Is fufpefted to favour the views of King James, ii. 11. Is fent to the Tower, ib. Hurft, major, an inferior member of Monmouth's confpiracy, i. 407. Huttcn, doftor, his correfpondence with the Eleftor of Hannover, ii. 4*^7. Hyde, Sir Edward, made lord-high-chancellor of England, i. 4. His charafter, ib. Is created Lord Hindon, 18. And foon after Earl of Cla- rendon. See Clarendon. , Lawrence, lord-treafurer, i. 311. ]i gained to the views of the Prince of Orange, 313. Is fent by the King to Scotland to intreat the Duke of York to conform, 362. See Rathejler. James II. King of England, fucceeds to the throne, i. 425. State of public opinions on that event, 22*, 1/iues a popular declaration, ib. Levies the cuf- toms and excife without tlie authority of parlia- ment, which had been granted only for his bro- ther's life, 428. Makes changes and promotions, ib. His generous fpeech to Halifa.Y, ib. His prudent government at home, 430. Goes pub- lickly to nafs with his Queen, ib. Eiicouiaoes converts to the Roman faith, ib. His engage— w ments with France, 431. His fecurity, "432. Calls a parliament, 433. His fpeech, ib. Ob- tains his brother's revenue for his own life, 434, Is invaded by Monmouth, 443. RejeSs the prof- fered fervices of the Prir.cc of Orange againll: that nobleinan, ib. Suppreflcs Mor.moutft's infur- 4 Q.. 2 re condemned and executed for confpiring againtl tlie life of King William, ii. i lo. Kirk, Colonel, his cruelties after Monmouth's rebel- lion, i. 452. Is fcnt v/ith fuccours to relieve Deny, 63 1. Kirly, , His connexion with Tong and Otes, the authors of the Popifh plot, i. 247. Informs the King of that impolture, 248. ■ ■ , Captain, executed at Plymouth for cowardice, ii. 275. Knight, Sir [ohn, his remarkable motion in the houfe 01 commons, ii. 57. La Bajiide, fent ambafTador extraordinary from France to confirm Charles II. in his refolution to marry the Infanta of Portugal, i. 31. La Chaife, Father, the French King's confe/Tor, i. 2i;2. La Hague, fea-fight at, ii. 13. In which the French are defeated by the Englifh, ib. Lambert, Colonel, a regicide, tried and condemned, . i. 48. — — — , a feaman, his aflive behaviour in feizing . Venner and his a/Tociaies, i. 18. , , at whofe houfe Otes and Tong. formed the Popiih plot, i. 24S. Lancnjhire plot, ii, 77. Landeii, battle of, ii, 42. Landau, foitrefs of, taken by the French, ii. 271. Langhorne, , a lawyer, accufed in the Popifh plot, i. 259. Tried, condemned, and executed, 287. Laivfon, Admiral, Sir John, left by the Sandwich to command the fleet before i. 36. Fights the Dutch, 75. Dies of Earl of Algier, his wounds, 76. Lauderdale, Earl of, made fecretary of (late for Scot- land, i. 22. One of the cabal, 135. His cha-- rafter, ib. Raifed to a Dukedom in Scotland 156. His adminilbation there, 212. Oppofed by Duke Hamilton, ib. Dies, 380. Leake, Admiral, reduces Sardinia and Minorca, ii. 408. Leeds, Duke, ii. 65. Impeached, 81. Refignt, . 171. His correfpondence with the Eledlor of Hannover, 467, Legg, Captain, engages the Dutch fleet, i. i8j.- Leiuis XIV. King of France, i. 31. See France. Lillington, Admiral, commands the fleet in the ex- pedition ageinll Hifpaniola, ii. 89. Limerick, fojtiefs of, bsfieged in vain, i. 6;6. Lind/ey, I N D X. LinJ/iy, Ear], hi? engagements with the court of St. Germains, ii. 51. Litchfield, Earl cf, attends King James to Rocheder, i. 54(>, His engagements with the court of St. Germains ii. 51. Littleton, Sir Thomas, made treafurer of the navy, i. 114. Chofen fpeaker of the houle of commons, ii. 157. Lloyd, Captain, an agent of the court cf St. Ger- mains, fent with a meffige from liii adherents in England to King James at La Hogue, ii. 11. Returns to England, 61. His interview with Marlborough, ib. Rufl'el, 62. Shrewfbury, ib. Godolphin, 63. And Sunderland, 64. Lochiel, Cameron of, joins the Vifcount Dundee, i. 616, Submits to the new government, 687. London, city of, a plague there, i. 81. Fire of, 8g. King Charles II. receives its freedom, 205. lie reprimands the citizens, 353. And by irregular means pofTeiTes himfclf of it, 376, ^otuarranto iilued againft it, 581. Chatter of, iurrendered, 383. Violence of parties there, 384. The King appoints the magillrates, 401. Its charter le- ftored, 515. General confufion in, 539. A council of peers there, 540. The magiftrates fend an addrefs to the Prince of Orange, 541. — — , Bi(hop of, fufpended for refufing to fufpend Dr. Sharp, i. 472. Invites the Prince of Orange in a hollile manner to England, 506. Attends the Princefs of Denmark in her flight, 533. Lopping, another name for murder, i. 391, Lorrain, Duke of, his dominions invaded and con- quered by Lewis XIV. i. 137. Takes refuge in the city of Cologn, ib, Charles V. Duke of, 222. Commands the Imperial and Saxon troops, 640, Takes Mentz, ib. Lowvefiein, a faftion in Holland known by that name, i. 162. Dejefted by the power and influ- ence of the Prince of Orange, 408. Lowvois, M. de, i. 165. 601. Lo-vat, Lady-dowager of, raviflied by Captain Frafer, ii. 282. Lotvthr, Sir John, firft commiffioner of the treafury, i. 651. Lumley. Lord, one ofthofewho invited the Prince of Orange to England, i. 506. Lunt, , his information of the Lancafhire plot, ii. 76. Luxembourg, Duke of, i. 168. Is furprifed but not worfted by the Prince of Orange at St. Dennis, 241. Lyjle, Mrs. her trial, i. 453. Her blood rellored by aft of parliament, 613, M. Macartney, General, murders the Duke of Hamil- ton, ii. 577. Mackay, General, inarches in queft of Dundee to \xi- vernefb, 615, Meets him at Rinrory, 618. Is defeated at KiUicranky, 619, Is killed in the battleofSteinkirk, ii, 18. Mackay, John, detains Mr. Prior at Canterbury, on his return from France, ii, 494. Maclean, Sir .Alexander, i. 617. Macclesfield, Earl of, engages in Monmouth's confpi- racy, i. 38-'. Magdalene-college, affair of, i. 485. And proceed- ings thereon, 489. The fellows of, deprived, 4Q0. Reflored to their rights and franchifes, 518. Malaga, a fight at, ii. 300. Malony, Bifhop, i. 636. Malplacquet, battle of, ii. 424. Mancini, Hoitcnfia, according to King James IF. the mod beautiful woman in the world, i. 30, Manchefier, Earl, made fecretary of ftaic, ii. 219. Marlborough, Earl, commands the Englilh troops in Holland, i. 640. His correfpondence with the late King, 680. Takes Cork and Kingfale, 689. Enters into a communication with the court of St. Germains, ii. 5. Is difmilTed from his employ- ments, 7. Is excepted from pardon in James's projefled declaration, 9. Sent to the Tower, 1 1. His intrigues, 61. Betr.iys the defign upon Breft to the late King, 67. Is appointed governor to the Duke of Gloucefter, 151. His correfpondence with King James, 233. Commands, with uncom- mon fuccefs, the allied army in Flanders, 240. The commons refufe to perpetuate to his family a penfion of five thoufand pounds a year, granted by the Queen for his own life, 246. His intrigues with the court of St. Germain?, 247. Is created a duke, ib, A marriage propofed between his daughter and the pretended Prirce of Wales, 255, Commands the army in Flaiiders, 272. Takes fucceffively Bonn, Huy, Limbourg, and Gueldres, ib, Marches into Germany, and takes Donawert, 294. Defeats the French and Bavarians at Blen- heim, 296, His fecret negociations with the Pre- tender, 303. The Whigs, to gain him to their party, propofe a marriage between his daughter and the Elefloral Prince of Hannover, ib. Arrives in England, 314. Is well received, and rewarded by the Queen, ib. And congratulaed by both houfes of parliament, ib. His intrigues with the excluded family, 315. In his political condufl he favours the Whigs, ib. Takes the command of the allied army, 321. Is raifed to the dignity of Prince 0/ Mindelheim, by the Emperor, 336. Defeats totally the French at Ramillies, 342. Takes Louvain, ErufTels, Antwerp, Mechlin, Aloft, Ghent, 343. And foon after Oftende, Dender- monde, and Ath, ib. Is fent by Queen Anne into Saxony, to fettle a dilFcrence between the Emperor and the King of Sweden, 369. His profeffions to the Pretender, 378. His fuccefs at Oudenarde, 395. His corrupt praftices, 398. His conduft with N D X. with regard to General Webb animadverted upon by the commons, 407. Is fent ambafTador extra- ordinary to the Hague, to fettle the terms of peace, 410. One of the arbiters of Europe, ib. Favours the Pretender, 416. AJvifes that Prince to remove from Fiance, 417. Takes Tournay, 421. De- feats the French at Malplacquet, and takes Mnns, 424. Takes Bethune, St. Venant, and Aire, 440. His obftinacy and imprudence with the Queen, 450. Declines in liis influence, 451. And be- comes in fome meafure unpopular, ib. The Em- peror and the States interpofe in vain their good offices in his favour, 453. Offers his fervices to the Pretender, ib. Receives a letter from the exiled Queen, 454. Accufes Harley to the Eleflor of Hannover of Jacobitilm, 457. His credit de- clines, 472. Takes Bouchain, 487. Offers again his fervices to the Pretender, 503. His intrigues againft Harley, 507. Is accufed by Sir Solomon Medina of various peculations, 512. Is dilgraced, and why, ib. His charaftcr, and reflexions there- on, 515 — 520. His fchemes in concert with Both- mar, 529. And with Prince Eugene, 532. His intrigues with the Dutch, 560. Quits the king- dom, and retires to Antwerp, 579. Is a fpy on the PrL-tender, 5S5, His connexion with Boling- broke, 619. His correfpondence with the Pre- tender, 623. Offers money in loan to the Eleflor of Hannover, 625. Concert between him and Bo- lingbroke, 650. Their views, 61; 2. ^"arijhal. Earl of, his connexion with the court of St. Germairs, ii. 308. Promifes his fervices to the Pretender, 374. Marjhal, a Jefuit, accufed by Otes in the Popiih plot, i. z;i. Is feized, ib. Acquitted, 290. Mary D''E/lc, a daughter of the Duke of Modena, married to the Duke of York, i. 186. Is Queen of England. 421;. Declared to be with child, 491. Which is faid to be an impofture, 492. Is brought to bed of a fon, 498. Sent to France, 534. Is brought to bed of a daughter at St. Gerniainj, ii. 15. Writes a letter to the Duke of Marlborough, 454- Mary, Queen, i. 566. Crowned, 585. Her admi- niftration in the abfence of her hufband, 668. Her death and charafler, ii. 73. Mojham, Mrs. a favoujite of Queen Anne, ii. 384. Her intrigues in concert with Harley, ib. Her conference with Menager, concerning the Pre- tender, 548. Her intrigues, in concert with Bo- lingbroke, 608. Maumont, M. de, a Frenchman, engages the Irifh near Derry, i. 625. Is killed, ib. Mazarin, Cardinal, i. 106. Mead, Mr. a member of the Rye-houfe plot, i. 407. Meal-tub pl.t. impofture of the, i. 307. Medina, Sir Solomon, accufes the Duke of Marlbo- rough and Mr. Cardonnel of fome unwarrantable praftices, with regard to contrafts for the army in Flanders, ii. 5 12. Majirts, a Dutch engineer, his infernals, ii. 89, Mel/ort, Earl, his letter before the lords, ii. 198. Mel'vin, Lord, his concern in Monmoutli's confpi- racy, i. 390. Menaier, Mr, fent by Lewis XIV. to the court of London, to negociate a peace, ii. 493. His con- verfation with Mrs. Malham, concerning the Pre- tender, 548. Middlston, Earl, declared commiffioner to the Scotifh. parliament, i. 22. One of thofe whom the Duke of York took along with him when he efcaped fhipi\reck near the Lemon and Ore, 375. Is made fecretary of Hate, 414. Attends King James to Rochelier, 546. And intreats him in vain to ftay in England, ib. Is fent by that Prince, in his exile, to his adherents in England, ii. 35. Re- turns to France with propol'als for his reftoration, n- . Ufges the French court in vain to invade Britain, 96. Endeavours to perfuade Lewis XIV. of the pradlicability of an infurreilion in Scotland, 376. Minorca, idand of, reduced by the Englilh, ii. 400. Mitchell, , a Scotifti fanatic, executed, i. 293. Mohun, Lord, killed by the Duke of Hamilton, m a duel, ii, c,-]-]. Monk, General George, i. 2. Created mailer of horfe to King Charles II. 4. His charader, 5. Raifed to the dignity of a duke, by the title of Albtmaile, 10. See Jlbemarle. Monmouth, Duke of, is lent ambaffador extraordi- nary to treat with the States for peace, i. i66. His charatter, 179. Is chofen chancellor of the uni- verfity of Cambridge, 199. Is made commander in chief, 234. His hopes of being declared Prince of Wales lb. Is declared illegiiimatc, 278. Is fent by tlie King to quell the infurreftion of the covenanters, in Scotland, 295. Routs the infur- gents at Buhwcl-bridge, 290. But ufes them with mildnefs and humanit), ib. Returns to court, and is complimented by the King with the title of Higlinefs, ib. Is dilgraced, ftript of his off.ce of general, and ordered to depait the kingdom, 302. Returns, 303. is refuled admittance to the King, 304. Retires to the Hasue, 30;;. And enters into the fchemes and views of the Prince of Orange, ib. Who makes ule of him, 310. R'turns, and makes a prog refs, 318. Makes another, 378. Is apprehended, and brought to London, 379. Enters with Rulitl and others into a confpirac\ iigainll the King, 386. Flies, 393. Surrender; himVslf, 406. His confeffion, ib. Is pardoned, 407. Retrafls, and is foibid the court, ib. In concert with the Prince of Orange and the Earl of Argyle, he un- dertakes an jnvafion of Britain, 459. Sails from the 1 exel, 443. Lands in England, 444. His declaration, ib. Is attainted by adof patliamenr, »b. IX N D K. ib. Is viflorious at Bridport, 445. AfTumes the title of King, ib. Is in dillrefs, 446. Is defeated, 447. And taken, ib. Writes a lecter to the King, 448. Is admitted into his prefence, 449. Exe- cuted, 450. "Mons, town of, taken by the French, i. 68.). Montague, Adnjiral, created Earl of Sandwich, i. ', Mr." ambafladof at the French court, i. 149. His correfpondence with Danby laid before the parliament, 270. Reflexions on his ccnduft in that aflair, 273, — — — — , a Mr. his dexterous conduft in refioring the public credit, ii. 121. Is created a peer, by the title of Lord Halifax, 194, Ste Halifax, Montgotnery, Sir James, fctit by the convention in Scotland, to inveft King William III. with the go- vernment, i. 593. Heads an oppofition there, 655. I^jcciref Sir John, choftn Lord Mayor of London, i. 368. Mcldaunt, Lord, i. 194. Is created Earl of Mon- mouth, 613. Morgan, Sir Thomas, commands the Englifli troops ' in the fen-ice of Portugal, i. 62. Morrica, — — , made I'tcretary of ftate, i. 4. His charafter, 5. Retires from ofiice, 115. Mulgra've, Eatl cf, made governor of Hull, i. 304. Is created Marquis of Norraanby, ii. 65. Munjier, Bifhop of, joins the Engliili, i. ?o. And makes an irruption into the territories of the States, ib. Murray, Captain, fent by the court of St. Germains, with Captain Simon Frafer, to Scotland, ii. 284. Mujkerry, Lord, ilain in the iirll Dutch war, i. 75. ■N. Kamur, town of, taken by the French, ii. 16. Re- taken by the Englifb, 86. Ni-iuton-Butler, rout at, i. 6 84. Nicholas, , raifed to the ofiice of fecretary of ' ftite, i. 4. His charadler, 5, Refigns his office for a conlideration in money, 54. . , Sir Richard, fent to the Mediterranean with a fleet, i. 70. Nimeguen, peace m.ide there, ii. 240. Normanliy, Maiquis of, made lord privy-feal, ii, 332. Created Duke of Buckingham, 252. North, Sir Francis, chief-juftice of the Common Pleas, i. 329. His unpopularity, ib. Is made Lord keeper, 380. , '- Nortcn, an interior member o?"Motinit)Uth's confpi- racy, 390. Nottingham, Earl of, cilets his ferv;ce to the Pnr.ce of Ui^nge, i. 484. Is fent by King J;imes to treat with that Prince, 533. MaJc fecretary of Hate, 5,77, Difmiflld, ii. 2^,0. Norvjich, the deprived bifliop of, becomes an agen* for the late King, ii. 49. Nugent, Sir Thomas, informs King James of the Itate of Ireland, i. 601. O. Obtdience paffive, recognized by the people, i. 370. Occajional-conformity , bill of, ii, 509. Okey, a regicide, e.vecuted, i. 46, Opdam, a Dutch admiral, engager the Duke of York, i, 75. His (liip blown up, ib. Orange, Prince of, vifits King L'hailes IT. Ji'l3g. His charadter, 163. Is declared Stadtholder of the United Provinces, 164. His bad fuccefs againft France, 168. Commands the allies againft France, 198. Eludes theinftances of the King of England, to make peace with F'rar.ce, zoz. Enters into fe- cret riegociations with the country-party in Eng- land, ib. Has the mortification to fee Aire and St. Omer taken, without being able to relieve them, 210. His correfpondence with the Scct-iih fanatics, 213. Is defeated by theFiench at Caflel, 218. Propofes, by Bentinck, a marriage with the Lady Mary, eldelt daughter of the Duke of York, 22q. Comes to England, ai;d marries that Prin- cefs, ib. Agrees, in concert with the King of England, upon terms for a geneial peace, 226. Notwithftanding the pe.ice between the States and the French, of which he is faid to have had a copy in his pocket, he falls, but with no fuccefs, wit4i the Du'.ch army, upon that of the latter, at St. Dennis, 242. His intrigues in England at the time of the Popifh plot, 262. His engagements v.ith the FJuke of Monmouth, 30J. Correfponds with Shaftefbury, and, through him, foments di- fturbances in England, 309. Gains to his views Sunderland, Godolphin, and Hvde, 313. His in- trigues abroad, 324. And in England, 354. In- duces the States and Spain to prefent a remon- ftrance to the King of England, againll the diflb- lution of his parliament, 365. Comes to the court of London, 366. His conterence witli the King, ib. Flis propofals, 367. Departs, 368. Oppofes in vain the marriage of the Lady Anne witti the Prince of Denmark, 400. His arbitrary views in Holland, 4C9. His condudl with regard to the Rye-houfe plot, 410. Encourages Monmouth and Argyle to invade Britain., 436, 437, 438, 439. OfKers his .iffiftance to the King of England m quafliing Monmouth's rebellion, 443. His in- trigues with the Earl of Sunderland, 477. His k- cret fchemes, ib. Sends Dykve'.dt to England to foment diflurbances, 483. Many lords oll'er him their ferviees, 484. Sends two hundred pounds, in the nnme of his wife, to the deprived fellows of Magdalene-college, 491, Prepares for an inva- 2 fion, N D X. fiOn, 49^. Gains the I'ofe to his views, ib. Hi;: intriguef, 50;, Sends Ziilfllcin 10 congramlate King Jarres on the birtli o( his fon, 506. is in- vited to England by feveral perfon. oF ranit, ib. Declares the birth of the Prince of Wales an im- pollure, 507. Takes his leave of the State?, 92 f. His declaration, 522. Siils, anJ is driven back, 523. Siils again, ib. Lands in England, 52^. is in dillrcfs, 526. IVlany join him, qa/. His dic- tatorial anfwcr to the commillionen fcnt by King James to ireat with him, 536, His conduft, 541. Sends Zuleftein with letters to King James, 543. Dii'patches Count Solm-s to take pofl"eflioti of Whitehall, ib. Forces the King to retire to Ro- chefter, 544. Arrives in London, 548. Cails an aliembly of peers, 1549. Who addrcfs him to af- iume the government of affairs, 552. His firll ait of authority, 553. Borrows money from thecity, ib. His private intrigues for the throne, 554. Calls a convention, 556. His letter to them, ib. Their addrefs of thanks to him, 5 58. Declares himfelf, 561. Is declared King, and his wife (^een, of England, 566. See William III. Or J, Mr. a fecret agent of the court of St. Germains, i. 688. Oifoid, Earl of, i. 151, Removed from the Admi- ralty, ii. 171. Orkney, Countefs of, ii. 1 74. Orleans, Dutchefs of, comes to England, and meets her brother at Dover, i. 125. Prevails with him to declare war againfl the States, 126. Dies fud- denly at St. Cloud, 128. Ormond, Marquis of, made lord fleward of the houfe- hold, i. 4. Piis charafter, 5. Obtains a grant of all the lands of his anceftors in Ireland, 28. Is raifed to the government of that kingdom, 54. His attention to its affairs, 65. Is difmi/Ted, 116. An attempt made upon his life, 140. Is rellored to the government of Ireland, 297. Is recalled, 4 16. ■ , Second Duke of, joins the Prince of Orange, 561. Takes Fort St. Catharine and Port St. Mary, 11.242. His fuccefs before Vigo, ib. Is again lord- lieutenant of Ireland, 268. Commands the allied army in Flanders, 5 5 8. His inaftivity, 559. The auxiliaries refufe to obey him, 561. OJhorne, Sir Thomas, made treafurer of the navy, i. 114. Raifed to the office of lord- treafurer, 185. His charadler, 186. Is created Lord Latimer and Earl of Danby, 200. See Danhy. Ofnaburgh, Bifliop of, comes to England to pay his addrelfes to ihe Lady Anne, i. 399. Departs, ib. Marries Sophia Dorothy, daughter of the Duke of Erunfwick-Zell, 400. ■Qtes, Titus, a hiftory of him, i. 246. Becomes a Papirt and Jefuit, 247. Goes to the Englifh femi- rary of Jefuits at St. Omers, ib. He is difmifled for bad behaviour, 24S. His narrative before the council, 2, 143. ; Addrefs of, induces the King to recal his decla- ration of indulgence, 175. The tcft-aft, 177. AcWrtfs of, againft the Duke of York's marriage with a Princefs of the Romifh religion, 187. Violence of. occafions a prorogation, 1S8. Ad- drefles the King to join the confederates againft France, and to prefcrve Flanders, 220. But having refufed the neceffary fupplies they are re- * primanded and adjourned, ib. Eagerncfs of, for ' a French war, 230. Leaders of, intrigue with that kingdom, ib. Violence of, with regard to the Popiili plot, 259. Penfions 0:es th? author of that impofture, 260. Attacks the Duke of Voik, 261. Bill to difahle Papifts, 263. In which the Duke of York is excepted, ib. Grants a fupply on limited terms, 268. Impeaches Danby, -27c. Js didblved, 277. Another called, '279. Speaker of the lower houfe rejefted by the King, 2S0. Violence of, againft Danby, 282. A fupply, 283. Bill of exclufion, 286. Refo- luiion againft the bilhops, ib. Habeas-corpus adl, 287. Diflblved, 290. Another parliament is called, 312. Is prorogued, ib. Aflembled, 323, Enclufion-bill, 326. Rejefted by the lords, ib. Refentment of the commons, 32?. The judges impeached, 33c. And the Vifcount StafFord, 331. Diflblved, 338. A parliament aflembled, 3^9. At Oxford, 344. Quarrel between the houfes of, 346. Is diffoKed, 347. Confterna- tion of, 348. Another called by King James the Second, 432. Settlement of the revenue, 433. A vote about religion, 434. A fupply, 43;. Attaints the Duke of Monmouth, 444. Grants a fupply, 459. Is prorogued, 460. The con- vention which fettled the crown on the Prince of Orange converts itfc-lf into a parliament, 977. See Cc/ivt/iiion. Frugalityof the commons, 579. Sufpends the habeas corpus aft, ib. L lefraflory, \J,^i' Rfjtfts a fcheme for co.mprehenfion, 584. ^ddiefb o(, to declare war againft France, 604. I', difcpntented, 609. Is adjourned, 612. Af- fembled, ^45. A fypply, 646. Inquiry of, into ibufe.s 647. Is diflblved, 649. Another called, fjl. Settles the revenue, 652. Supplies, 6-7. An oppofition formed there, 700. AfTembled, 'ii. 21. An ill humour in both houfe?, 22. A .fupply, 23. Remonftrance of, againft ibreigners, 25. Tueiinial bill, 72. Proceedings of, on the Lancafliire-plot, 77. Speaker of the commons expelled for corruption, 81. Impsaches the Duke ofLecdt, ib. A coin-aft, 82. Is diflblved, 97. A new parliament called, ib. Bill for regulating trials, 99. A fupply, ico. Addrefs of, againft the Scoiifh Raft-India company, 103. And ano- ther againft Portland, 104. Reftores public cre- ,diu 120. Obfeqiiioufiiefs of, 123. Orders the army to be difbanded, 139. Provides amply for the civil lift, 144. Eftabllhies a new Ealt-India company, 146. Is diflblved, 147. Another aflembled, 157. Inquiry into Infti forfeitures, 173. Violence of, 174. Is prorogued, 178. • A new parliament meets, 195. Settlement of the crown, 199. Articles for the fecurity of the fob- jeiit, 200. A difference between the houfes, 207. Is diflblved, 218. Another called, 219. Pro- rogued, 235. And diflblved, 244. Firft parlia- ment of Queen Anne meets, ib. Settles an- eventual peufion on Prince George of Denmark, 246. But refufes one to Marlborough, ib. Bilt to prevent occafional conformity, 249. Loft in the houfe of loids, ib. Ample fupplies, 277. Proceedings of, on the Scotilh plot, 287. Is diflblved, 3^0. Another called, 331. Pafles the bill of regency, 333. Firft parliament of Great Britain, 380. Oppofition in the houfe of lords, 382. Is alarmed by a threatened invafion from France, 387. Is diflblved, 393. Another meets, 405. Extends the laws of treafon to Scotland, 405. Pafles an aft of gmce, 406. Extraordinary addrefs of, to the Qieen, 408. Impeaches Dr. Sacheverell, 433. Bill of occafional conformity; 509. Rejefts the Duke of Hamil-.on's patent, 510. Pembroke, Earl of, favours the views of the late King Jame5, ii. 9^. Is made prefident of the council, 171. Lord high-admiral of England, 219, Is removed from that office, 235. Pentland hills, a fight at, i. III. Perkins, Sir William, confpires againft the life of King William, ii. 106. Is condemned, no. Perth, Earl of, one of thofe whom the Duke of York took along with him when he efcaped fhip- wreck at the Lemon and Ore, i. 37 ij. ...3'. Peterborough, Earl of, marries, by proxy, Mary D Efte, fecond wife of the Duke of York, i. 186. 301. Petitioners and Abhorrers, i. 514. See Whig'sca^ Tory. Petre, Lord, ac-cufed in the Popilh plot, i. 265. Dies in the Tower, 411. , Father, member of a Popifli cabinet, i. 465. His political views, 474. Pett, Commiflioner, impeached, i. 112. Pickering, a Jefuit, accufed by Otes in the Popifli piot, 1. 249. Executed, 267. Pilkington, — — , enormity of his fine, i. 379. Poland, throne of, filled by the Elector of Saxony, i. 128. Affairs of, 249. Crown of, offered 10 King,- James ii. 1^8. ' Player, Sir Thomas, prefents the freedom of the city to King Charles II. i. 200. Plunket, Oliver, condemned and executed, i. 356. , John, his difcovery to the Earl of Oxford, II. 524. ' ■_ ■-■>" Pope, remarkable burning of a, 4*^68, /'»/(/?> plat, ijfe4.'6;-'PO Jsrii fiO ,iss ,}i>obnc5 Port/mouth, Popijh plat; it4«;- 1/ N D X. Pertjmoutb, Dntcliefs of, a miflrefs of Charles If. i. 129. Reconciles that Prince to Shafie/bury, 284, Who prcfents her to the grand jury of Middlefex for a common nuifance, 319. Ufes her influence for the iJuke of York's return from Scotland, 573. To fettle 5000 I. a year on her •out of the profits of the poll-office, ib. Is aceufed by Shaftefbavy of a defign of havin^; her fon, the Duke of Richmond, created Prince of Waie', 378. Ptrtugal, Catherine, daughter of the King of, mar- ried to Charles II. Rin'» of England, i. zg. Alphonfo the Sixth, King of, at war with Spain, 62. Obtains a dtcifive battle over the Spaniards at Amexial, ib. His remaikable generofity to the Englirti foldiers, 63. Is thrown into prifon, and his brother, Don Pedro, declared regent, 109. Who makes peace with Spain, 1 10, PoimI, Mr. an agent of the court of St. Germains, ii. 109. Ffwltt, Lord, member of a fecret Popifh cabinet, i, 465. — — , Lord, favours the views of the late King James the Second, ii. 58. Praunce, Miles, is aceufed by Bedloe of the murder of Godfrey, i. 274. Becomes himfelf an evidence on the fame fubjeft, 275. Prejion, Lord, is condemned for treafon, i, 679. Is pardoned, ib. Price, Mr. prefents the Denbigh-petition to the houfe of commons, ii. 104. Prior, Mr. fent to the court of France to negociate a peace, ii. 492. Pultoiua, battle of, ii. 427. ^eenjberry, Duke of, holds a parliament in Scot- land, ii. 186. In concert with Simon Frafer he forms a plot, 284, ^ero'iiaille, , a young lady of the name of, attends the Dutchcfs of Oileans in her journey to England, i. 129. Returns to France with tlvit Princefs, and after her death comes to Enc land, \vh?re fhe is created Dutchefs of Portlmouth, ib. See Port/mouth. ^o-iuarranlo, a writ of, iflued againll the city of London, i. 382. R. Radcliffe, Sir Francis, aceufed by Otes in the Popifh plot, i. 259. Ramillies, battle of, ii. 342. Confequences Of, ib. ■Jle/iexhns, on the fale of Dunkiik, i. 51. On the fire of London, 90. On King Charles II. 's feciet engagements with France, 128. On his pul)Iic conduit, 130. On the (hutting of the exchequer, 152. On the ftate of the nation, 171 : And on the Dutch war, 172. On the flate of Europe with regard to the war, 210. On the King's condud, 221. On that of parliament, 233, On the peace of Nimeguen, with regard to France, Z43. On the death of Godfrty, 254. On tlie conduftofthe Earl of Danby, 272. On that of Mr. Montague, 337. On the Oxford-parliament, 350. On the flate of the times, 371. On the private charadfer of Charles II. 423. On the death of the Duke of Monmouth, 450. On the conduft of James II. 478. On the aifair of the Magdalene-college, 490 On the flight of King James, 548. On the legality of the convention called by the Prince of Orange, 5^,7. On the Revolution, 568. On the reign and character of James II. 570, 571, 572. On the battle of the Boyne, 661. On the conduit of Lewis XIV. 675. On the Iriih pacification, 697. On the affair of La Hogue, ii, 14. On the conduft of King William at Landen, 42. On the taking of Namur, 86. On the fettlement of the crown, 202. On the Union, 360. On the projected invafion of Scotland, 390. On the charader of Marlborough, 517. On the peace of Utrecht, 590. Regency, ad of, ii. 333. Renault, Chatteau, a French admiral, defeats the Englilh fleet, i. 607. Revolution takes place, i. 566. Rights, declaration of, i, 567. Rijiuick, congrefs at, ii. 124. Peace of, conclude"'. Rivers, Earl of, amba/Tidor at the court of Han- nover, ii. 467. Roberts, Lord, 117, Rochejler, Earl of, made prefident of the council, i. 414. Lord-high-treal'urer, 428. An attempt on his religion, 473. Is difmiiled for obftinacy, 474. Sends an offer of his fervice to the Prince of Orange, 484. Is raifed to the governmcnt;of Ireland, ii. 194. Writes to the Elector of Han- nover, 467. Dies, 477. His charader, ib. Rochfort, Marquis of, i. 161. Rooke, Admiral, Sir George, furprifed by the French, ii. 47. Commands the fleet on an ex- pedition againil Denmark, 185. Takes Gibralt.ir, 300. Rofen, Marefchal de, i. 60c, Commands Kirg Jarne.'s army before ps^^^§i^-^^^-..^^^\ order, 032. t ._^ ^ , ,,„„. •• Rothes, Earl of, commiflioner to the Scotiih parlia- ment, i. 64, Rouj'e, , an inferior me-Tiber of Monmouth's confpiracy, i. 390. Ronjoallan, . is aceufed by Monmouth in tfce R>e-houfe plot, i. 407. Roxborcugh. Earl of, drowned near the Lemon and Ore. on his way with the Duke of ypfjf to Scot- land, i. 375. r, ..,,,.,.,.,•,, y- ' .,\|^ .^i:-,,-- Rupert, Prince, i. 77, Commands, jointly with Albemarle, the fleet, i. 82. Comes opportunely to his relief as he was flying from the Dutch, 85. Engages De Ruyter, 182. Beats the Dutch, 187. Purfues theij^j^^^itriumph to their coafls, 188. Dies, 380. .,,rao'?i9,r „^ ',;. 4 K 2 , RumooiJ, I"^ N D Riimhuy, —■^, his concern id the Rye-houfe plot, i. 390. Rum/ey, Colonel, engages in Monmouth's confpi- „ racy, i, ?qo. Surrenders hirnfelf and'^tirfls' evi- "■n^'j '' -J' .',.,.,1 .' ;vi ^ -..- oence, 392. RuJJlly Lord, his oppofition in patlinmcnt, i. 232. ., Offers his fervices to the Duke of York, 233. "'Carries an addrefs up to the lords advifing the iKing to declare war, 235. A member of the '•'privy cooncil, 285. Rerigns3l2. Prefents the '^ 'Duke of York for a Popifli recufant, 317, C'ar- g.,rie8 the bill of cxclufion to the lords, 326. En- gages with Monmouth and Shaftefbury in a con- spiracy againd the King, 386. Is feizcd, 393. Tried, 394. Condemned, 39;. His behaviour, ib. Execution, 396. And charafler, 397. , Admiral, invites the Prince of Orange to England, i, 506, His correfpondence with the court of St. Germains, ii. 6 Commands the fleet, 9. His projeft of a defcent on the coaft of Fiance, 10. Sails toward La Hogue, 11. En- gages the French, 12. Defeats them and burns iixteen of their (hips, 13. Is difmiffed, 37. His correfpondence with the court of St. Germains, 61. Commands the fleet in an expedition againll Breft, 67. Which mifcarries, ib. Bombards Calais to no purpofe, no. Is accufed by Sir lohn Fenwick of corrcfpnnding with the late king, 121. Is created Earl of Orford, 151. See Orford. S. Sachei'trell, Do£lor, impe.iched, ii. 432. Articles againd him, 433. His trial, 434. Is found guilty, 436. Sackvilk, Colonel, fent to the Tower for exprefling his diftelief of the Popifli plot, i 283. An agent for the court of St. Germains, ii. :,. Salijlioy, Earl of, fcnt to the lower for queflioning the legality, of a recefs of parliament for more lihan one year, 'i."2i7'. Is made a privy councellor, - 284. . .;■,,' " SaZ/CB, ,Lpr^, ^. 363. Saild-.'j!c}^,'lA\ oi, brings over the I i.fmta of Por- tugal, i. 45. Commands the fleet, 77. Sails to the coail of Norway, 78. Is fent ambaflTador to the court of Madrid, 82. Commands the Blue I'quadron in the ftcond Dutch war, 157. Is kiiieJ, i6o. His charafler, ib. 1' " "'■■. JSandys, Sir Thomas, i. 142. '^'oraicffa, battle of, ii. 442. S«»y/«/a,. ifland of, -.reduced by the Englilli, ii. Sa'vy, Djke of, defeated by the French, i. 673. Deferts the confederates and joins the Freni.h, ii. 117. i, V' ,.. ■_ ; £axc/!y, Eieftor of, chofen King'of Poland, i. 128. Savoy, a conference of oivines held there, i. 19. S(arjdale, Ewl of, accufed of confpin.ng agaiiift kxn^ William Ur, aii^^fent tp;the^^T^ I X. S(homberg, Marefchat, matter of the ordnance, i. 577. Arrives in Ireland with an army, 637. Avoids an engagement with King James, 638. 'Fights the Irift) at the Boyne, 659, Defeats them •and is flain, 660. , Duke of, wounded and taken prifoner by tiie French, ii. 45. Dies of his wounds at Turin, ib. Scotland, kingdom of, i. 20. State of, under the commonwealth, 21. The Earl of Middleton holds a parliament there, 22. A parliamenr there, 64. The covenanters raife an infnrredlion there, iio. But are defeated near the Penlland hills, HI. Lauderdale calls a parliament, 170. Affairs of, 212. Archbilliop Sharpe murdered bv the covenanters, 29;. They take the field in arms, ib. But are routed by Monmouth, at Bothwel bridge, 296. The Duke of 'i'ork holds a parliament there, 359. The right of fucceffioit recognized, 360. A new telt, 361. King James 11. proclaimed there, 440. A parliament called, ib. Is invaded by tne Earl of Argyle, 441. A parliament held the-e, 4(7. Indulgence granted there, 480. Affairs of, 586. Admi- niftration of, conferred on the Prince of OrangCi 589. Convention of, meets, ib. Letters f.om the two Kings before them, 590. Many mem- bers fecede, 591. Crown of, fettled on King William, 592. Convention of, converted into a parliament, 614. Which is held by the Duke of Hamilton, ib. A great oppofition, 622. A par- liament there, 653. Intrigues in favour of the late King Jamef, ib. Their fubmilTion to the new government, 68~. An obfequious parliament there, ii. 33. Ill-requited by William, 34. A parliament held by the Marquis of Tweedale, 91. Proceedings of, on the aftair of Darien, 153, Affairs ot their company, 169. Difcouraged by the King, 170. Dillrefs of the adventurers, ib, A petition to the King, in the name of the whole nation, 180. A parliament held by Queeniberry, i8g. A general ferment there, 186. A feceffion of eighty members, 237. Ad for fettling the crown of, rcjeCled, 238. And why, 239. A new parliament called there, 259. Aft of lecurity, 261. To which the commilTioner refufes hie alTent, -263. A^'t for the houfe of Hannover re- jected, 262. A iolent heats, 264. State of, with regard to England, 265. And obfervations thereon, ib. AQ. of fecutity, 30;. A parlia- ment there, 3^3. In which a great majority are for the Union, ib. Tumults there, 354. The Union takes place, 357. Difcontent ol the Scots, 372. Affair of a medal there, 504. Scot, a regicide, condemned, i. 12. Sirogs, Chief Juftice, impeached, i. 3*9^ Scaton, Scbaflian, i. 75. Scigxeiai, M. de, i. 601. Sehuiti, Colonel, his engagements with the court .of St. Gersaifls, ii. 5 1. INDEX. Seymour, Mr. accufcs Qarendon of treafon, i. loi. is rejefted as fpeaker of thehoufe of commoiu by the King, i. 280. Shpftejlurjy Eaii of, lord high-chancellor of Eng- land, i. 159. Urges the King in vain to own the legitimacy of Monmouth, 178. Caafe of his defeftion, 179. Is difaiifled, and why, 189. His fadious condud in the city, 197. At the King's defire he retires to the country, ib. Is ' fent to the Tower for moving, that the parliament 'f was diflblved by virtue of a recefs of fifteen 11 months, 217. His oppofition in parliament, 232. fc - His projeil of burning a Pope, 308. His cor- ." relpondence with the Prince of Orange, 309. Prefents the Duke of York to the grand jury of Middlefex for a Popifti Recufant, 317. His le- jnarkable fpeech to the grand-jury, 319. Prefents the Dutchefs of Portfmouth for acommon nuifance, ib. His aftivity in the e.xclufion-bill, 326, At- tempt;, in vain, to get into the magiftracy of London, 334. accufed of high treafon, 369. Is acquitted by an ignoramus jur\ , ib. Offers to be reconciled to the Duke of York, 377. Which being rejefted, he endeavours to create a differ- ence between that Prince and the Dutchefs of Portfmouth, 378. Engages with Monmouth and Ruffel in a confpiracy againll the King, 386. Retires to Amflerdam, 389. And dies, ib. His chatafter, ib. Sharpe, Archbifliop of St. Andrews, i. 1 ic. A hillory of him, 293. Is murdered by the cove- nanters, 294, Sheppard, ■, a member of Monmouth's confpi- racy, i. 394. His evidence againll Ruffel, ib. '- Sho'uel, Sir Cloudfley, one of the commiffionets of the admiralty, ii. 37. Commands the fleet in an expedition againft Dunkirk, 71. Appointed to the chief command of the fleet, 316. His expe- dition to the coaft of France, 347. Commands in an ineffeflual expedition jipaiiill Toulon, 370. Is ihipwrecked near the Scilly iflandf, 371. His chaiafler, 372. ^hreiujlury, Earl of, i. 304. Offers his fervice to i-'^ the Prince of Orange, 484, Invites him to come in a hoftile manner to Kngland, 506. Is fent by that Prince to defire King James to leave Lon- don, 544. Made fecretary of ftate, 577. Is gained by Marlborough to the views ol the late King, ii. 6. His intrigues with the court of St. Germains, 61. Created a Duke by the fame name, 65. Accufed by Sir John Fenwick of cor- refponding with the late King, 121. Is difmiffed, '■'■^- 171. lord chamberlain, 451. His correfpond- ence both with the Eleftor of Hannover and with the Pretender, 467. Arabaffador at the Prench court, 579. . , Countefs of, her intrigues in favour of the lafe King Jaines, ii. 62. ■ '- Sidney, Lord Viicount, raifed to the government of Ireland, ii. 29, x«^ "t ii . i _ , Algernon, enters with Monmoiuh and Ruffel into a confpiracy againft the King, i. jgo. Seized, 393. iijs trial, 402. Condemnation, 403. Arid execution, 404, His charafler, anil a hillory of him, 405. ■ Mr. manages a correfpondence bctweCh ^un- dcrland and die Prince of Orange, 477. Skeltcii, ——, amba/fador at the Hague, i. 439. Smiih, Aaron, his concern in Monmouth's confpi-" racy, i. 406. Smyrna fleet attacked, i. 153. Without fuccefs, ib. —————, another, furprifed, and many fhips taken, by the French, ii. 47. Solmes, Count, takes poffeffion of Whitehall for the Prince of Orange, i. 543. Commands the army in Ireland, 668. AnimadverCons on his conduit at Steinkirk, ii. 23. Somers, lord- high-chancellor, difmiffed, ii. i8z. . His charafler, ib. Impeached, 204. Made prcfident of the council, 404. His intrigues with. Prince Eugene, 531. Somer/et, Duke of, i. 487. Sophia, Princefs, Dutchefs of Hannover, ii,. zoo> See Hannoier, Southampton, Ear! of, lord-treafurer, i. 4, His character, 5. Advifes the laying up of the fleet, 92. South Sea Company, rife of, ii. 473. Southivold Bay, b-ittle of, i. 158. Spain, Philip IV. King of, endeavours in vain to ob--. ilruft the Portugal match, i. 30. Bad fuccefs of his arms in Portugal, 62. Rtjefls a propofed alliance with England, 79. Concludes peace with Lewis XIV. at Aix-la-Chapelle, jo8. At peace alfo with Portugal, no. joins the Dutch againft France, 197. Charles II. King of, efcapes from his mother, orders her to be confined, and declares Don John, his natural brother, prime miniHer, . 222. Bad fuccefs of his arms on every flde, ib, . Joins with the States in a remonffrance to the King of England, 565. Declares war againft France,, 416. Concludes a peace at Ratifbon, 41S. Op- pofes the peace of Rifwick, ii. 124. And why, ib. Intrigues for the fucceflion of, 126. Parti- tion of the monarchy of, as fettled in a treaty between England, France, and Holland, 156. Its eftifts on the court of Spain, 157. The ambaf-- fador of, prefents an irfolent memorial to the court of London, 167. For vvhich he is ordered to quit the kingdom, 168. King of, dies, 190. His will in favour of the Duke of Anjoa, 191. E.vhauUed ilate of, 214. At war with England, 234. Throne of, filled by the Arch duke, 27^. Who vifits the Queen of England, 279. Is chofeo ; Emperor, 4S7. King of, renounces his title to the crown of France, 54.6, '^ ' - . ' Spragge, Admiral, Sir Edwardi ' e^^^gei Van 1 romp, i. ?82. Is killed, ib. Siajj'ord, Vifcount, his trial, 33 1. Condemnation, 3^2. And execution, 333. Stair, Lord yifcoui I, a hillory of him, i. .6.14.; Stanhopt, Stamford, Earl of, pardoned,'!. i^\ r^ N U K X. Ctaiihcpe, General, taken prifoner, ii. 443. St. Dcr.ftis, battle of, i. 241. Steiniirk, baiJe of, ii. 17. St. George, Chevalier de, fon of King James II. afluroes the title of King cf England, ii. 215. A propofed marriaf^e between him and a daughter pf Marlborough, az;. Undeitakes an invafion of Brit.-iin, 387. Sails from Dunkirk to the toall of Scotland, 388. liut retjrnt without fuccefs, 389, ;ls,advifed by Marlbciiough to remove from France, 417. Which he declines, from motives of gra- titude to, Lewis XIV. ^.tg. His fchemes and views, 480. Writes to Queen Arne, 481. En- deavours in vain to gum the Englifli mintftry, 482. Marlborough's profeflions for his caule, 500. Attachment of Queen Anne to his eventual fuc- ceffior, 547. His patty joins the minillry, 549. Writes again to Queen Anne, 550. Who ur£>es him in vain to change his religion, 573. Kis views, 5S6. iiiJ:o.^ St, Cermaitis, palace of, in France, the refidence of the late King James of England, i. 547. St. John, Henry, prefer.ts to the houfe (>f commons a bill to prevent occafional conformity, i. 249. Secretary at vvar, 292. Refigns, 386. Secretary of State, 455. His intrigues, 465. On bad terms with Oxford, 479. His prcfeffions to the Eledoral family, 483. A delign to aflaflinate him, 533- His correfpondence with Le^vis XIV. on the fubjeit of hereditary right, 54;. Is created Vifcount Bolingbroke, 567. See Boling- broke. Slormoi.t, Vifcount, favours the Pretender, ii. 374. Strafford, Earl of, fent to the Hague to negociate a general peace, ii. 497. Sirathmre, Earl cf, his attachment to the excluded Stuart^, ii. 374. St. Ruth, defeated at Aghrim, i. 693. Sunderland, Earl of, i'ent ambaffador to Spain, i. 150, Made fecretary of ilate, 284. Is gained by the Prince of Orange, 313. Votes for the bill of e.xclufion, 326. iJifmifll-d, 339. His imtif;ues with the Prince of Orange, 354. Re- .ftpjed. to his former office of fecretary of ftate, .cgSfc.;,- His artitices and intrigues, 429. His .^Joubie dealing with Monmouth, 448. His cha- . rafter and councils, 464. Forms a fecret Popilh cabinet, of ivhich he is prefident, 465. His in- trigues in the cabinet, 474. And with the Prince .of Orange, 477. Betrjys his mailer's councils, jjl2. His dilgrace, 5 19. Favours the views of the late King James, ii. 53. His intrigues with that Prince, 64. Is vifited by King William, 87, X-prd- chamberlain of the houfehold, 123. Dil'miffed, 452. *■ — , Another Earl of, his correfpotidence with the Elector of Hannover, 468, Siveditt, regency of, adhere in ftiendfhip to the King pf England, i. 8j. But avoid to enter into the tiar, ib. , Charles XL King of, joins France and meets with misfortune, 205. The King of Dea- mark makes an irruption into his dominions wrtV fuccef", Z09. But he defifrifs that monarch at Lumen, and forces him to retire to his own coun'ry, ib. Charles XI I. of, is courted and feared by all the other powers in Europe, li. 349. His quarrel with the Emperor, 36S. Throws the ba- lance of Europe from his hands, 369. Is totally the King, 248. Tempsjl, a dreadful one in England, ii. 278. Tories nnd H'higs, two political parties, i. 31^. See Ah- borrers and tetithneri. The former favour the ex- cluded Stuarts, ii. 52. Favoured by the Queen, 252. Their views in favour of the Pretender, 253. Their inconfiftency, 332. Their motion in parliament, to invite the Priiicefs Sophia to England, ib. Re- jeiled, 333. Oppofe the bill of regency, 334. In chief power, 464. Their profeflions to the houfe of Hannover, 466. They are generally returned to ferve in parliament, 468. Urge the Pretender, ■in vain, to change his religion, 573, TorrlngtOK, Earl of, commands the fleet, i. 669, Is defeated by the French, 670. Tried, and ac- quitted, 678. Toulon, liege of, deferted by the allies, ii. 370. Tourney, town of, taken by the allies, ii. 421. Tourville, a French admiral, fails to La Hogue, ii. Jl. Engiges Admiral Ruflt;l, 12. And is defeated, ib. Surprifes the Smjina fleet, 47. And takes many fhips, 48. Treby, , a violent patriot, difmifled from the recordeifhip of the city of London, i. 401. Chief jultice of the Common-Pleas, his feverity, ii. 39. Trenchard, , engages in Monmouth's conlpi- racy, i. 388, Trfvor, Sir John, fpeaker of the houfe of commons, i 651. Expelled for corruption, ii. 79. Trienuial-aSl, i. 65, Triple-alliaiKe concluded, i. 107. Another, ii. 212, Trim//, Van, i. 87. See Holland. Turber'ville, , an evidence in the Poj ifli pi Jt, i. Tullibardin, Earl of, commiiEoner to the Scotifli par- liament, li. 1 18. ■ b;iE -iw-oashna nwwisd 3gsii Turin, battle of, ii. 344. Tiueedale, I N D fi X. Tiutedalt, Marquis of, HdIJs a parlinment at Edin- burgh, iu 90. Prefcnts a petition, in the name of the whole Scotifh nation, to the King, 176. Tyley, — — , a member of the Rj'e.houfe plot, i, 390. U. Uniformity y aft of, i. 41. Difpenfed with by the King, 55. Union of the two kingdoms, ii. 357. Utrecht, peace of, ii. 587. V. yane. Sir Henry, tried, i, 87. And condenined, 83. Fendome, Duke de, defeats the allies at Villa- Viciofa, ii. 444. Venner, Thomas, his infarredion, i. 17. Taken and executed, 18. Villa Flor, Corde de, commands the troops of Por- tugal in the war againft Spain, 62. Villa- Viciofa, battle of, ii. 444. Alr/Z/w-/, Barbara, i. 52. &&e. Countefs of Caflcmain. Viner, Sir Robert, chofen Lord Mayor of London, i. 200. The King dines with the city upon the oc- caiion, ib. W. iVude, Captain, executed at Plymouihj^ for cow- ardice, ii. 275. IVekcman, Sir George, the Queen's phyfician, ac- cufed by Otes in the Popilh plot, i. 25c. Tried and acquitted, 289. Walcat, , engages in Monmouth's confpiracy, i. 389. Attends the Earl of Shafteibury to Holland, ib. Tried ard condemned, 394. If ales. Prince of, his birth proved in a council extra- ordinary, i. 519. Declared King of Great Britain by Lewis A'JV. ii. 215. Is attainted hy aft of parliament, 221. Takes the title of Chevalier de St. George, 3 88. See St. George. Walpole,Kohin, expelled the houie of commons, ii. iVahers, Mrs. the Dake of. iVI,onmoiith,'s mother, i. 318. ;r,...| |-.,;,..i , .,,. - : . . //ty?, a lawyer, .nn inferior member of Monmouth's confpiracy, i. 390. Surrenders himfelf, and turns evidence, 292. His teliimony againlt Sidr.ey, 403. H'harton, Lord, fent to the Tower, for moving in the houie of lords, that the parliament was virtually difiblved by a reccfs of fifteen months, 217. • , Earl of, raifed to the government of Ire- land, ij. 404.' His charafier, 457. IVhigs, and lories, two political parties, how they commenced, i. 314, Arc difgullcd with Kino William, 650. Favour the coutt cf St. Germain?, ii. 4, 52. In chief power, 64. Are generally returned to pr.rlianitnt, 98. Their contejis with the Tories, 217. 1 heir conduft, 251. To gain Marlborough to their patty, they propofe a mar- riage between his daughter and rheiileftcral Piince ;^".\&'&»ur^ 'ffC ■'» of Hannover, ib. A great majority of, returned to parliament, 403. Are promoted, 404. Apply to the houfe of Hannover, 468. Their dangerous defigns, 451. Their intrigues, 507. Send for Prince Eugene, 526. Their defigns, 575. And fecret fchemes, 582. JVhitbread, a Jel'uit, accufed by Otes in the Popifli plot, i. 251. M'hite, William, his cafe, ii. 316. Wildtxan, , an agent of the court of St. Ger- mainf, ii. 4. Wilmot, Admiral, commands the fleet in an expedi- tion againft Hifpaniola, ii. 8g. William in. King of England, i. 566. His firft fpeech to parliament, 577. Sufpends the habeas corpus aft, 579. Gives up the tax of heatth- moiiey, 580. Tottering condition of his govern- ment, 581. Quells a mutiny, 1^82. His parlia- ment refraftory, 583. His coronation, 58^. Ad- miniftraiion of Scotland cor.ferred on him, 589. His letter to the convention of that kingdom, 590. His flrange negleft of Ireland, ^97, Declares war againft France, 605. His fleet defeated, 607. Grants a penfion to the noted Otes, 613. His army under Mackay defeated at Killicranky, 619. Is confirmed on the throne, 644. DifTolves his parliament, 649. Cslls another, 651. Settlement of his revenue, 652. Goes to Ireland, 6jS. En- gages King James at the Boyne, 659. Defeats him, 660. His military tranfaftions there, 664. Befieges Limerick in vain, 666. Cruelty of his army, 667. Returns to England, 668. Calls his parliament, 676. Goes to Holland, 682. His conference with the States, at the Hague, (j^^. Keturns to England, 684. Takes the command cf the allied army in Flanders, 685. Is offended with the Prelbyterians, 6S8. Returns to England, and meets his parliament, 6g8, His unpopularity, 700. Goes to Holland, 702. Signs a warrant lor the murder of the Macdonalds of Glenco, 704. Which mcafure renders bim unpopular, j'i. ■2^. His councils bcirayed to the late King, 4, I? threatened with an invafion from France, 9. His fleet, under Rudel, fails to La Hogue, 11. And an engage- nicnt cnfues.iz. In which the French are de- feated, 13, Is joined by the Dukes of Hannover and Zell, 16. Takes the comniand of his army in Flandtrs, 17. Witneflesthe taking of Namur, without being able to preverit its furrender, ib. Attacks tire French at Stcinkirk, iS.- Whorepnlfe him, with lofj, ib. A cont'piracy formed atrainfl his life, 19. Returns to E.gland, and cafs his parliament, 2t. Rejefts the bill for fliorter.intr the duration of parliaments, 27. Goc. to Holland 39. Commands the allied army in Flanders, 40. )s defeated by the French at Landen, 42, Returns, 49. AfTcmbles his parli.^ment, 54. Admits Wh->3 and Tories promilcuoofly into oi.4ce, t j, Confe°s honours on feveral, ib. Goe^ to Holland, 66. His deiign upon..Bj;t:fe, 65^. - Mifcar»iesV'68*i;- Tafias .i. -jCil :,;•.- :Tiyr.Ji;iiTi tljiv," ;:fp^^ I N D X. Hoy, 6g, Returns to England, 71. Gives at laft his a (lent to the triennial a