death of the king of Spain had made such | Mr. Monckton, in the heat of his declamaan alteration in the affairs of the continent, tion against this measure, said, he expected as required their mature deliberation. The the next vote would be for owning the prerest of his harangue turned upon the usual tended prince of Wales. Though there topics of demanding supplies for the ensuing was little or no connexion between these year, reminding them of the deficiencies two subjects, a great many members were and public debts, recommending to their startled at the information, and deserted inquiry the state of the navy and fortifica- the measure, which was dropped accordtions; exhorting them to encourage com-ingly. The king's speech being taken into merce, employ the poor, and proceed with consideration, the house resolved to support vigor and unanimity in all their delibera- his majesty and his government; to take tions. Though the elections had been gen- such effectual measures as might best conerally carried in favor of the tory interest, duce to the interest and safety of England, the ministry had secured but one part of and the preservation of the Protestant rethat faction. Some of the most popular ligion. This resolution was presented in leaders, such as the duke of Leeds, the an address to the king, who received it famarquis of Normanby, the earls of Notting-vorably. At the same time, he laid before ham, Seymour, Musgrave, Howe, Finch, them a memorial he had received from the and Showers, had been either neglected, or States-general, and desired their advice found refractory, and resolved to oppose the and assistance in the points that constituted court measures with all their influence. the substance of this remonstrance. The Besides, the French king, knowing that the States gave him to understand, that they peace of Europe would in a great measure had acknowledged the duke of Anjou as depend on the resolutions of the English king of Spain; that France had agreed to parliament, is said to have distributed great a negotiation, in which they might stipsums of money in England, by means of his ulate the necessary conditions for securing minister, Tallard, in order to strengthen the peace of Europe; and that they were the opposition of the house of commons. firmly resolved to do nothing without the Certain it is the nation abounded, at this concurrence of his majesty and their other period, with the French coins called louis- allies. They therefore begged he would d'ors and pistoles; but whether this redun- send a minister to the Hague, with necesdancy was owing to a balance of trade in sary powers and instructions to co-operate favor of England, or to the largesses of with them in this negotiation; they told Louis, we shall not pretend to determine. him that, in case it should prove ineffecWe may likewise observe, that the infamous tual, or Holland be suddenly invaded by practice of bribing electors had never been the troops which Louis had ordered to adso flagrant as in the choice of representa vance towards their frontiers, they relied tives for this parliament. This scandalous on the assistance of England, and hoped his traffic had been chiefly carried on by the majesty would prepare the succors stipuwhig party, and therefore their antagonists lated by treaty, to be used, should occasion resolved to spare no pains in detecting their require. The memorial was likewise comcorruption. Sir Edward Seymour distin- municated to the house of lords. Meanguished himself by his zeal and activity; while, the commons desired that the treahe brought some of these practices to light, ties between England and the States-genand, in particular, stigmatized the new East eral should be laid before their house. India company, for having been deeply con- These being perused, they resolved upon cerned in this species of venality. An in- an address, to desire his majesty would enquiry being set on foot in the house of ter into such negotiations with the Statescommons, several elections were declared general, and other potentates, as might void; and divers persons, who had been il-most effectually conduce to the mutual legally returned, were first expelled the safety of Great Britain and the United house, and afterwards detained in prison. Provinces, as well as to the preservation of Yet these prosecutions were carried on with the peace of Europe, and to assure him of such partiality, as plainly indicated that their support and assistance, in performance they flowed rather from party zeal than of the treaty subsisting between England from patriotism. and the States-general. This resolution,

A great body of the commons had re- however, was not carried without great opsolved to present an address to his majesty, position from those who were averse to the desiring he would acknowledge the king nation's involving itself in another war of Spain; and the motion, in all probability, upon the continent. The king professed would have been carried by a considerable himself extremely well pleased with this majority, had not one bold and lucky ex- address, and told them he would immepression given such a turn to the debate, diately order his ministers abroad to act in as induced the anti-courtiers to desist. One concert with the States-general and other

WILLIAM. 1688-1701.

AN INTERCEPTED LETTER.

powers, for the attainment of those ends of credit, commonly called exchequer-bills. This was sent up to the lords on the sixth they proposed. day of March, and on the thirteenth reHe communicated to the commons a let-ceived the royal assent. The next object ter, written by the earl of Melfort to his that engrossed the attention of the combrother the earl of Perth, governor to the mons was the settlement of the succession pretended prince of Wales. It had been to the throne, which the king had recommislaid by accident, and came to London in mended to their consideration in the beginthe French mail. It contained a scheme ning of the session. Having deliberated for another invasion of England, together on this subject, they resolved, That for the with some reflections on the character of preservation of the peace and happiness of the earl of Middleton, who had supplanted the kingdom, and the security of the Prohim at the court of St. Germain's. Melfort testant religion, it was absolutely necessary was a mere projector, and seems to have that a further declaration should be made had no other view than that of recommend- of the limitation and succession of the ing himself to king James, and bringing crown in the Protestant line, after his mahis rival into disgrace. The house of lords, jesty and the princess, and the heirs of to whom the letter was also imparted, or- their bodies respectively: and, that further dered it to be printed. Next day they pre- provision should be first made for the secusented an address, thanking his majesty for rity of the rights and liberties of the peohis care of the Protestant religion; de- ple. Mr. Harley moved, That some consiring all the treaties made since the last ditions of government might be settled as war might be laid before them; requesting preliminaries, before they should proceed to him to engage in such alliances as he the nomination of the person, that their seshould think proper for preserving the bal-curity might be complete. Accordingly, ance of power in Europe: assuring him of they deliberated on this subject, and agreed their concurrence; expressing their ac- to the following resolutions: That whoever knowledgment for having communicated shall hereafter come to the possession of Melfort's letter; desiring he would give this crown, shall join in communion with orders for seizing the horses and arms of the church of England as by law establishdisaffected persons; for removing papists ed that, in case the crown and imperial from London; and for searching after those dignity of this realm shall hereafter come arms and provisions of war mentioned in to any person, not being a native of this the letter: finally, they requested him to kingdom of England, this nation be not equip speedily a sufficient fleet for the de- obliged to engage in any war for the defence of himself and his kingdom. They fence of any dominions or territories which received a gracious answer to this address, do not belong to the crown of England, which was a further encouragement to the without the consent of parliament: that no king to put his own private designs in ex-person who shall hereafter come to the posecution: towards the same end the letter session of the crown shall go out of the contributed not a little, by inflaming the dominions of England, Scotland, or Ireland, fears and resentment of the nation against without consent of parliament: that, from France, which in vain disclaimed the earl and after the time that the further limitaof Melfort as a fantastical schemer, to tion by this act shall take effect, all matters whom no regard was paid at the court of and things relating to the well-governing Versailles. The French ministry com- of this kingdom, which are properly cogplained of the publication of this letter, as an attempt to sow jealousy between the two crowns; and, as a convincing proof of their sincerity, banished the earl of Melfort to Angers.

nizable in the privy-council, by the laws and customs of the realm, shall be transacted there, and all resolutions taken there upon shall be signed by such of the privycouncil as shall advise and consent to the SUCCESSION OF THE CROWN SETTLED. same: that, after the limitation shall take so effect, no person born out of the kingdom THE credit of exchequer-bills was lowered by the change of the ministry, and of England, Scotland, or Ireland, or the dothe lapse of the time allotted for their cir- minions thereunto belonging, although he culation, that they fell near twenty per be naturalized, and made a denizen (except cent. to the prejudice of the revenue, and such as are born of English parents), shall the discredit of the government in foreign be capable to be of the privy-council, or a countries. The commons having taken this member of either house of parliament, or affair into consideration, voted, That pro- to enjoy any office or place of trust, either vision should be made from time to time civil or military, or to have any grant of for making good the principal and interest lands, tenements, or hereditaments, from due on all parliamentary funds; and after- the crown to himself, or to any others in wards passed a bill for renewing the bills trust for him: that no person who has an 14*

INEFFECTUAL NEGOTI. IION WITH
FRANCE.

office or place of profit under the king, or succession to the crown of England, after receives a pension from the crown, shall be king William and the princess Anne of capable of serving as member of the house Denmark. Two copies of this protest Maffei of commons: that, after the limitation shall sent in letters to the lord-keeper and the take effect, judges' commissions be made speaker of the lower house, by two of his quamdiu se bene gesserint, and their sala- gentlemen, and a public notary to attest the ries ascertained and established; but upon delivery; but no notice was taken of the the address of both houses of parliament, declarations. The duke of Savoy, while it may be lawful to remove them: that no his minister was thus employed in England, pardon under the great seal of England be engaged in an alliance with the crowns of pleadable to an impeachment by the com- France and Spain, on condition, That his mons in parliament. Having settled these Catholic majesty should espouse his youngpreliminaries, they resolved, that the prin- est daughter without a dowry: that he himcess Sophia, dutchess dowager of Hanover, self should command the allied army in be declared the next in succession to the Italy, and furnish eight thousand infantry, crown of England, in the Protestant line, with five and twenty hundred horse, in conafter his majesty, and the princess, and the sideration of a monthly subsidy of fifty thouheirs of their bodies respectively: and that sand crowns. the further limitation of the crown be to the said princess Sophia and the heirs of her body, being Protestants. A bill being DURING these transactions, Mr. Stanhope, formed on these resolutions, was sent up to envoy extraordinary to the States-general, the house of lords, where it met with some was empowered to treat with the ministers opposition from the marquis of Normanby: of France and Spain, according to the adprotest was likewise entered against it by dresses of both houses of parliament. He the earls of Huntingdon and Plymouth, represented, that though his most Christian and the lords Guilford and Jeffries. Never- majesty had thought fit to deviate from the theless, it passed without amendments, and partition treaty, it was not reasonable that on the twelfth day of June received the the king of England should lose the effect royal assent: the king was extremely mor- of that convention: he, therefore, expected tified at the preliminary limitations, which some security for the peace of Europe; and he considered as an open insult on his own for that purpose insisted upon certain articonduct and administration; not but that cles, importing, That the French king they were necessary precautions, naturally should immediately withdraw his troops suggested by the experience of those evils from the Spanish Netherlands; that, for the to which the nation had been already ex-security of England, the cities of Ostend posed, in consequence of raising a foreign and Nieuport should be delivered into the prince to the throne of England. As the hands of his Britannic majesty: that no tories lay under the imputation of favoring kingdom, provinces, cities, lands, or places, the late king's interest, they exerted them- belonging to the crown of Spain, should selves zealously, on this occasion, to wipe ever be yielded or transferred to the crown off the aspersion, and insinuate themselves of France, on any pretence whatever: that into the confidence of the people: hoping, the subjects of his Britannic majesty should that in the sequel they should be able to retain all the privileges, rights, and immurestrain the nation from engaging too deep nities, with regard to their navigation and in the affairs of the continent, without in- commerce in the dominions of Spain, which curring the charge of disaffection to the they enjoyed at the death of his late Cathopresent king and government. The act of lic majesty; and also all such immunities, settlement being passed, the earl of Mac- rights, and franchises, as the subjects of clesfield was sent to notify the transaction France, or any other power, either possess to the electress Sophia, who likewise re- for the present, or may enjoy for the future: ceived from his hands the order of the that all treaties of peace and conventions garter. between England and Spain should be reThe act of succession gave umbrage to newed: and, that a treaty formed on these all the popish princes, who were more demands should be guarantied by such nearly related to the crown than this lady, powers as one or other of the contractors whom the parliament had preferred to all should solicit and prevail upon to accede. others. The dutchess of Savoy, grand- Such likewise were the proposals made by daughter to king Charles I. by her mother, the States-general, with this difference, that ordered her ambassador, count Maffei, to they demanded, as cautionary towns, all the make a protestation to the parliament of strongest places in the Netherlands. Count England, in her name, against all resolutions D'Avaux, the French minister, was so surand decisions contrary to her title, as sole prised at these exorbitant demands, that he daughter to the princess Henrietta, next in could not help saying, They could not Lave

WILLIAM. 1688-1701.

peen higher, if his master had lost four suc- which had been made of the Spanish terricessive battles. He assured them, that his tories to a robbery on the highway; and most Christian majesty would withdraw Mr. Howe did not scruple to say it was a his troops from the Spanish Netherlands as felonious treaty: an expression, which the soon as the king of Spain should have forces king resented to such a degree, that he deof his own sufficient to guard the country: clared he would have demanded personal with respect to the other articles, he could satisfaction with his sword, had he not been give no other answer, but that he would restrained by the disparity of condition beimmediately transmit them to Versailles. tween himself and the person who had ofLouis was filled with indignation at the in- fered such an outrageous insult to his honor. solent strain of these proposals, which he Whether the tories intended to alienate the considered as a sure mark of William's minds of the nation from all foreign conhostile intentions. He refused to give any nexions, or to wreak their vengeance on other security for the peace of Europe, than the late ministers, whom they hated as the a renewal of the treaty of Ryswick; and he chiefs of the whig party, certain it is, they is said to have tampered, by means of his now raised a universal outcry against the agents and emissaries, with the members of partition treaty, which was not only conthe English parliament, that they might demned in public pamphlets and private oppose all steps tending to a new war on conversation, but even brought into the house of lords as an object of parliamentary the continent. censure. In the month of March a warm ADDRESSES FROM BOTH HOUSES. KING WILLIAM certainly had no expecta- debate on this subject was begun by Sheftion that France would close with such field marquis of Normanby, and carried on proposals; but he was not without hope, with great vehemence by other noblemen that her refusal would warm the English of the same faction. They exclaimed nation into a concurrence with his designs. against the article by which so many terriHe communicated to the house of commons tories were added to the crown of France; the demands which had been made by him they complained, that the emperor had been and the States-general; and gave them to forsaken; that the treaty was not commuunderstand, that he would from time to nicated to the privy-council or ministry, but time make them acquainted with the pro- clandestinely transacted by the earls of gress of the negotiation. The commons, Portland and Jersey: that the sanction of suspecting that his intention was to make the great seal had been unjustly and irregu them parties in a congress which he might larly applied, first to blank powers, and afconduct to a different end from that which terwards to the treaty itself. The courthey proposed, resolved to signify their sen- tiers replied, That the king had engaged in timents in the answer to this message. a treaty of partition at the desire of the They called for the treaty of partition, emperor, who had agreed to every article, which being read, they voted an address of except that relating to the dutchy of Milan, thanks to his majesty, for his most gracious and afterwards desired, that his majesty declaration, that he would make them ac- would procure for him the best terms he quainted with the progress of the negotia- could obtain; above all things recommendtion; but they signified their disapprobation ing secrecy, that he might not forfeit his of the partition treaty, signed with the interest in Spain, by seeming to consent to great seal of England, without the advice the treaty: that foreign negotiations being of the parliament which was then sitting, intrusted to the care of the crown, the king and productive of ill consequences to the lay under no legal obligation to communikingdom, as well as to the peace of Europe, cate such secrets of state to his council: far as it assigned over to the French king such less was he obliged to follow their advice: a large portion of the Spanish dominion. and that the keeper of the great seal had no Nothing could be more mortifying to the authority for refusing to apply it to any king than this open attack upon his own powers or treaty which the king should conduct: yet he suppressed his resentment, grant or conclude, unless they were conand without taking the least notice of their trary to law, which had made no provision sentiments with respect to the partition for such an emergency (8). The earl of treaty, assured them, that he should be al- Portland, apprehending that this tempest ways ready to receive their advice on the would burst upon his head, declared, on the negotiation which he had set on foot, ac-second day of the debate, that he had by the cording to their desire. The debates in the king's order communicated the treaty, behouse of commons upon the subject of the fore it was concluded, to the earls of Pempartition treaty rose to such violence, that broke and Marlborough, the lords Lonsdale, divers members, in declaiming against it, Somers, Halifax, and secretary Vernon. transgressed the bounds of decency. Sir These noblemen owned, that they had been Edward Seymour compared the division made acquainted with the substance of it.

that when they excepted to some particu-French king's declaration, that he would lars, they were told, his majesty had car- grant no other security than a renewal of ried the matter as far as it could be ad- the treaty of Ryswick; so that the negotiavanced, and that he could obtain no better tion seemed to be at an end. He liketerms; thus assured that every article was wise communicated two resolutions of the already settled, they said they no longer in- States-general, with a memorial from their sisted upon particulars, but gave their ad- envoy in England, relating to the ships vice that his majesty should not engage they had equipped with a view to join the himself in any measure that would produce English fleet, and the succors stipulated in a new war, seeing the nation had been so the treaty concluded in the year 1677, which uneasy under the last. After long debates, they desired might be sent over with all conand great variety as well as virulence of venient expedition. The house, having conaltercation, the house agreed to an address, sidered this message, unanimously resolved in which they disapproved of the partition to desire his majesty would carry on the negotreaty, as a scheme inconsistent with the tiations in concert with the States-general, peace and safety of Europe as well as pre- and take such measures therein as might most judicial to the interest of Great Britain. conduce to their safety; they assured him, They complained, that neither the instruc- they would effectually enable him to suptions given to his plenipotentiaries, nor the port the treaty of 1677, by which England draft of the treaty itself, had been laid be- was bound to assist them with ten thousand fore his majesty's council. They humbly men, and twenty ships of war, in case they besought him, that, for the future, he would, should be attacked. Though the king was in all matters of importance, require and nettled at that part of this address, which, admit the advice of his natural born sub- by confining him to one treaty, implied jects of known probity and fortune; and their disapprobation of a new confederacy, that he would constitute a council of such he discovered no signs of emotion; but persons, to whom he might impart all af- thanked them for the assurance they had fairs which should any way concern him given, and told them he had sent orders to and his dominions (9). They observed, his envoy at the Hague, to continue the that interest and natural affection to their conferences with the courts of France and country would incline them to every mea- Spain. On the nineteenth day of April, sure that might tend to its welfare and pros- the marquis de Torcy delivered to the earl perity; whereas strangers could not be so of Manchester at Paris, a letter from the much influenced by these considerations: new king of Spain to his Britannic majesthat their knowledge of the country would ty, notifying his accession to that throne, render them more capable than foreigners and expressing a desire of cultivating a could be of advising his majesty touching mutual friendship with the king and crown the true interests of his kingdom: that they of England. How averse soever William had exhibited such repeated demonstrations might have been to any correspondence of of their duty and affection, as must con- this sort, the earl of Rochester and the new vince his majesty of their zeal in his ser- ministers importuned him in such a manner vice; nor could he want the knowledge of to acknowledge Philip, that he at length persons fit to be employed in all his secret complied with their entreaties, and wrote and arduous affairs: finally, as the French a civil answer to his most Catholic majesty. king appeared to have violated the treaty This was a very alarming incident to the of partition, they advised his majesty, in fu- emperor, who was bent upon a war with ture negotiations with that prince, to pro- the two crowns, and had determined to ceed with such caution as might imply a send prince Eugene with an army into real security. Italy, to take possession of the dutchy of WILLIAM IS OBLIGED TO ACKNOWLEDGE Milan, as a fief of the empire. The new THE KING OF SPAIN. pope, Clement XI. who had succeeded to THE king received this severe remon- the papacy in the preceding year, was atstrance with his usual phlegm; saying, it tached to the French interest: the Venecontained matter of very great moment: tians favored the emperor; but they reand he would take care that all treaties he fused to declare themselves at this juncture. made should be for the honor and safety of The French king consented to a renewal England. Though he deeply felt this af- of the negotiations at the Hague; but, in the front, he would not alter his conduct to- mean time, tampered with the Dutch depu wards the new ministers: but, he plainly ties, to engage them in a separate treaty. perceived their intention was to thwart Finding them determined to act in concert him in his favorite measure, and humble with the king of England, he protracted the him into a dependence upon their inter- conferences, in order to gain time, while est in parliament. On the last day of he erected fortifications, and drew lines on March, he imparted to the commons the the frontiers of Holland, divided the princes