1703. ⚫ fervation of your Royal Perfon, fo effential to the A. C. 6 We fee, with the greateft fatisfaction, the Zeal with which your Majefty efpoufes the Publick Intereft, which carries you even beyond the Obligations of your Treaties, in defence of the Houfe of Auftria against the Ufurpations of the Houfe of Bourbon; And the glorious Reftitution of that Family to the Monarchy of Spain, which we have great reafon to expect from the late Alliance with the King of Portugal, will be chiefly owing to your Majefty's Arms and Affiftance. Your Majefty may depend upon fecurity at Home in the Love of your People Our Perfons and Fortunes fhall ever be ready to defend you upon all occafions, and your Majefty may therefore 'with the greater Safety and Glory, fend your Fleets and Armies abroad in the defence of your ' Allies. The happy Declaration of the Duke of Savoy for the Common Interest, gives your Majesty a feasonable opportunity to fhew your Compaífion and Concern for thofe Proteftants in the South of France, who lie under the heaviest Perfecution and Oppreffion. We lament for our felves and others, the un' avoidable Expence of War. but have reafon to Thank God and your Majefty, that we are free from all the other Calamities of it, having almost ' nothing else to wish for (being fecured of a Proteftant Succeffion) but your long and happy Reign over us, and we shall moft willingly pay our proportion of Taxes, encourag'd by your Royal Generolity for 'the cafe of your People, and by the frugal management of what is given; being fenfible there is no better way to fave the Wealth of the Nation, than by carrying on the War, at this time, with the utmost Vigour. Your Majefty may expect from us a moft ready Compliance with all your Defires fo justly merited by your Care of the General Welfare and Happiness of your People, extended even to the Pooreft and Meanest of your Subjects. 6 . A. C. 1703. Anfwer. 6 6 'This appears yet more eminently in that earnest and prefling Recommendation to Your Parliament of Union and Peace amongst themfelves, and we, in 'the most folemn manner, affure Your Majefty, that we will not only avoid, but oppose whatsoever may tend to create any Difquiet, or Difunion amongst Your Subjects. We fhall never be wanting in any part of our Duty towards the fupporting YourMajefty's Honour, and your Allies, not doubting but Almighty God will profper Your Majefty's Arms,fo Gloriously employ'd to protect all thofe, whom the Ambition of the French King would opprefs. To this Address, Her Majefty returned the following Answer: I My Lords, The Queen's Am extreamly fenfible of the particular Concern you exprefs for Me in this Addrefs, and of your Great Zeal for the Common Caufe of Europe. maintain I rely very much upon the Assurance you give Me of your Duty and Affection, and shall always ufe My best Endeavours to Eftablish the Safety and Happiness of the Kingdom. On the 19th of November, Mr. Secretary Hedges, by Her Majefty's Command, laid before the Houfe of Commons, the Copies and Tranflations of fuch Treaties as were not laid before them the laft Seffion of Parliament, among which was the Defenfive and Offenfive Treaty with Portugal. Thefe Treaties having been examin'd by a Committee of the whole +Nov. 27. Houfe, it was refolved not many days after, That Supply to the 40000 Men which were raifed to Act in Con'junction with the Forces of the Allies, and the AdHer Maje ditional Troops confifting of 10000 Men, fhould fty's Forces be continued for the Year 1704. That the proportion "of Land Forces, to act in Conjunction with the "Forces of Portugal, fhould be 8000 Men, confifting ' of 1000 Horfe and Dragoons and 7000 Foot; And that the Sum of 1801006/. 15 s. be granted to her Majefty, for maintaining the faid Forces, and the Guards and Garrifons of this Kingdom; the payment of Invalids, and difcharging the Subfidies payable to Her Majefty's Allies. Two days before the •Com B Commons had refolved, "That 40000 Men, includ- A. C. 1703. A great On the 26th of November, between 11 and 12 of the Clock in the Evening, began the moft violent Storm, Storm of that ever was known in England, in the Memory of Wind. any Man living, or Recorded in Story; the Wind, Nov. 26. which was Weft South Weft, refembling Thunder at a distance, attended with great Flashes of Lightning. It continued with almost an unrelenting Fury till Seven the next morning, blowing down a multititude of Chimnies, Tops of Houses, and even whole Buildings; tearing up a multitude of Trees by the Roots, breaking of others in the middle; beating feveral Spires off the Steeples; rolling up great quantities of Lead like Scrolls of Parchment, and blowing them off the Churches, Halls and Houses. In this Hurricane feveral People were killed in their Beds, particularly the Pious and Learned Bishop of Bath and Wells, and his Lady. Several others wounded; but abundance more miraculoufly preferved. The damage done in London and Westminster was conjectured to amount to one Million Sterling, and that of the City of Bristol to little less than 150000l. But it pleafed God, that this Calamity was not univerfal, the Northern Parts of this Ifland having little felt the Effects of it. Yet our loffes at Land were inconfiderable, in compa rifon with thofe we fuftain'd at Sea: M 4 For A. C. For not only feveral Ships of the Royal Navy, be1703. fides others belonging to private Perfons were caft away, but abundance of brave Men irrecoverably loft. Upon this difmal occafion the Houfe of ComThe Commons unanimoufly Refolv'd, That an Addrefs be mons Ad prefented to Her Majefty, expreffing the great Senfe drefs to the the Houfe had, of the Calamity fallen upon the Queen upon that occafi ON. • King t A Lift of the Ships caft away in the Storm, with an account of the number of Men loft. 1. The Referve, a Fourth Rate, Capt. John Anderson Commander, loft at Yarmouth. The Captain, the Surgeon, the Clerk, and 44 Men, fav'd, and the rest of her Company drown'd, being 175. 2. The Vanguard, a Second Rate, funk in Chatham Har bour, with neither Men nor Guns in her. 3. The Northumberland, a Third Rate, Captain Greenaway,loft on the Goodwin-Sands; all her Company was loft, being 220 Men, including 24 Marines. 4. The Starling-Caftle, a Third Rate, Captain Johnfon on the Goodwin-Sands; 70 Men, of which were 4 Marine Officers far'd, the reft were drowned, being 206. 5. The Reftoration, a Third Kate, Capt. Emmes on the Goodwin-Sands; all her Company loft, being 391. 6. The Mary a Fourth Rate, Rear Admiral Beaumont, Captain Edw. Hopfon, on the Goodwin-Sands; the Captain and Purfer afhore, one Man faved, the reft drown'd, being 269. 7. The Mortar Bomb, a Fifth Rate, Capt. Raymond, the Goodwin-Sands; all her Company loft, being 65. 8. The Eagle Advice-Boat, a Sixth Rate, Capt. Boftock, loft on the Coast of Suffex; all her Company, being 45, faved. 9. The Refolution, a Third Rate, Capt. Lifle, on the Coaft of Suffex; all her Company, being 221, faved. 10. The Litchfield Prize, a Fifth Rate, Capt. Chamberlain, on the Coast of Suflex; all her Campany,being 108, faved, and there is hopes to get her off. 11. The Newcastle, a Fourth Rate, Capt. Carter, loft at Spithead; the Carpenter and 39 Men were faved; and the reft, being 193 drown'd. 12. The Vefuvius Firefhip, a Fifth Rate, Capt. Paddon at Spithead; all her Company, being 148 faved; and there is hopes to get her off. 13. The Arundel, a Fifth Rate, all the Men, being 115, faved, and there is hopes to get her off. Total of the Seamen loft, 1519. 6 Kingdom by the late Violent Storm; and that they A. C. could not fee any Diminution of her Majefty's 1703. Navy, without making Provifion to repair the fame: n Wherefore they befought her Majefty, that the would immediately give Direction for Repairing this Lofs, and for Building fuch Capital Ships as her Majefty fhould think fit. And to affure her Majefty, that at the next Meeting the House would effectually make good that Expence; and would now give Difpatch in Raifing the Supplies already voted, for making good her Majefty's Treaties with the King of Portugal, and all her Majefty's other Allies; and would confider of effectual Ways for Promoting of Trade, for Manning her Majefty's Navy Royal, and for Encouraging the Seamen. That in the mean time her Majefty would graci"oufly think of fome Provifion for the Families of thofe Seamen, who had been loft out of her Majefty's Ships in the Storm, until the Houfe could provide for the fame. This Addrefs being prefen- The Queen's ted to the Queen, by the Houfe in a Body, her Answer. Majefty return'd them many Thanks for the Affurances they gave her of their Difpatching the neceffary Supplies for carrying on the War, and of their making good the Expence of the Damage happen'd to the Navy by the late Storm: For the Re pairing of which her Majefty fhould use all poffible Diligence and Application, and with great hopes of feeing it fpeedily effected, by the Bleffing of God, and their kind Affiftance: Adding, the fhould carefully comply with what they defired for relieving the Families of fuch poor Seamen as had perifh'd in the Storm, and always concur with them very readily in Promoting the publick Welfare. Not many Days † after, was iffued out her Majefty's Proclamation, commanding, That at Dec. 12. general and publick Faft be obferv'd throughout all A Publick England, on the 19th of January enfuing, to im- Faft applore God Almighty's Bleffing and Favour, and pointed. that it would pleafe him to pardon the crying Sins of this Nation, which had drawn down this fad Judgment; to avert the like Judgments for the future, and obtain the heavenly Bleffing of the For*ces of her Majefty, and her Allies, both by Sea and |