They had given Captain Porter 600 guineas in money and Ann. C. bills, and a promise of 1000l. a year penfion; but he be- 1696. trayed them to the Messengers: And Clancy being tried for the fame, the 17th of October following, was fined 500 marks, and fentenced to ftand three times in the pillory. Patrick Hume, Lord Polwarth, is made High-Chancellor 28. of Scotland; and the Parliament there figns an Affociation.

Henry, Lord Capel, Lord-Deputy of Ireland, dies; whereupon the Council, pursuant to an act of 33 Hen. VIII, elects Sir Charles Porter, Lord-Chancellor, to be LordJuftice, and Chief Governor of that Kingdom, till his Majefty's pleasure was known.

30.

Sir John Fenwicke, one of the chief accomplices in the June. Affaffination-plot, endeavouring to fly into France, is taken at New-Romney, with one Webber, an Attorney, and committed first to the Tower, and then to Newgate.

II.

The English fleet, under the command of Sir George 24. Berkley, fails from Torbay, to annoy the French coafts.

They bombard St. Martin's, in the Ifle of Rhe, Olonne, July 5. Horeal, Hodicke, and other places, on the coafts of Bretagne and Paillou.

William, Duke of Gloucester, being this day seven years 24. of age, is inftalled Knight of the Garter.

The Duke of Savoy concludes a feparate peace with Aug. 23. France, and figns again, openly, the treaty which had been fecretly agreed on between them, fome months before.

Thereupon Lewis XIV. makes a folemn refignation of all manner of pretenfions to Savoy and the Duke's territories; and the Allies retire into the Milanefe.

King William, weary of this fummer's unactive campaign, leaves the Confederate army under the Duke of Bavaria's command, and comes to Loo.

He goes to Cleves, and has an interview there with the Sept. 3. Elector of Brandenburgh.

Embarks for England; and, two days after, arrives at Oct. 4. Margate, and comes the fame evening to Kenfington.

The neutrality of Italy is agreed on between France and the Confederates.

The Parliament meets, it being the fecond feffion of the third Parliament of King William: In his fpeech, he acquaints them, that fome overtures had been made in order to the entering upon a negotiation of peace; but, the only way of treating with France was with fword in hand. The Commons enter with great alacrity upon the three great affairs recommended to them in the King's speech;

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namely,

7.

20.

Ann. C. namely, The further remedying the ill ftate of the coin: 1696. The reftoring of public credit: And the providing a fupply for the next year's fervice.

Κου. 5.

In order to remove the two first, they refolve, not to alter the standard of the gold or filver in fineness, weight, or denomination: And, To make good all Parliamentary funds fince his Majefty's acceffion to the Crown, that had been made credits for loan from the subject. For, with reto the latter, the tallies ftruck, or funds fettled by Parliament, especially fuch as were remote, were exchanged for ready money, at a vaft lofs. And the Land-Bank, which had been made a fund for above two millions and a half, did not produce any thing.

A proclamation is iflued, offering a thousand pounds reward for apprehending Cardell Goodman, one of the two witneffes against Sir John Fenwick, who had been fpirited a way, and had withdrawn into France.

The Commons vote 40,000 feamen, and 87,440 men; for the maintenance of which they grant above 4,800,000 1. About this time, the Bank-notes were discounted at twenty, and tallies at forty, fifty, or fixty per cent.

Sir John Fenwick having been indicted of high-treason, but there being but one witnefs against him, namely Captain Porter (Cardell Goodman, the other, having been fpirited away) he could not be convicted in the Courts of Law: 6, &c. Therefore a bill is brought in, for attainting him of hightreafon, which paffes, after feveral debates, in both Houses. Thomas, Earl of Pembroke, Lord Privy-Seal, the Lord Viscount Villiers, and Sir Jofeph Williamfon, are appointed Plenipotentiaries on the part of England, to treat of a peace with France.

19.

25.

Dec. 3.

13.

1696-7.

The Commons refolve, That a fupply be granted, to make good the deficiencies of parliamentary funds: Which deficiencies amounted to 5,160,400 1.

The Royal aflent is given, to an act for importing and coining guineas and half-guineas: And to another, for the further remedying the ill ftate of the coin of this Kingdom.

To fupply the want of coin, the Exchequer iffues out bills to the amount of above two millions.

A proclamation is published, requiring all receivers and Jan. 10. collectors of the public taxes to take hammered filver money, at 5 s. and 8 d. the ounce.

II.

The Royal affent is given to the bill for attainting Sir John Fenwick, Barcnet, of high-treafon. And to another act, to attaint such of the perfons concerned in the Affaffina

tion-plot, as were fled, unless they rendered themselves to Ann. C. juftice; and for continuing several other of the faid Con- 1696-7. fpirators in cuftody.

Sir John Fenwick is beheaded on Tower-hill.

Henry, Earl of Galway, the Marquifs of Winchester, and the Lord Viscount Villiers are appointed Lords Juftices, and John Methuen, Efq; Lord- Chancellor, of Ireland.

28.

Thomas, Earl of Aylesbury, who had been committed to Feb. 12. the Tower, on account of the late plot, is released upon Reg. 9.

bail.

The Royal affent is given to the following acts: 1. For March 8. granting to his Majefty feveral duties upon paper, vellum, and parchment, to encourage the bringing of plate and hammered money into the Mint to be coined. 2. To encourage the bringing in of wrought plate to be coined. 3. For continuing certain additional impofitions upon feveral goods and merchandifes. 4. To reftore the markets at Blackwell-Hall to the clothiers, and for regulating the factors there, &c.

1697

As alfo to these following: 1. For making good the defi- Apr. 1. ciencies of feveral funds therein mentioned; and for enlarging the capital ftock of the Bank of England: And for raifing the public credit. 2. For enlarging common highways. 3. For the compleating, building, and adorning the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's London; and for repa ring the Collegiate Church of St. Peter's Westminster. 4. For paving and regulating the Hay-Market within the liberty of Westminster. 5. For relief of creditors, by making compofitions with their debtors, in cafe two thirds in number and value do agree, &c.

Sir Thomas Mompejon, Sir Charles Cotterel, jun. and James Tyrrel, Efq; are appointed Commiffioners for executing the office of Lord Privy-Seal, during the Earl of Pembroke's abfence in Flanders.

Charles, Earl of Manchester, is appointed Ambaffador to the Republic of Venice; Sir James Rufhout, Baronet, Ambaffador to Turkey; and Sir Lambert Blackwell Envoy to Tuscany.

Tumults of the weavers in London, on account of callicoes, and other Indian manufactures, imported: They had very near feized the treasure at the Eaft-India Houfe.

In order to remove their juft complaints, a bill is brought in, to restrain the wearing of all wrought filks and Bengals, imported into this Kingdom from Perfia and Eafi-India, and all callicoes printed and stained there. Whilft it was depending,

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11.

14.

Ann. C. depending, great crowds of weavers prefs even into the 1697. Lobby of the Lower-Houfe, with a view to forward and

16.

17.

19.

22.

26,

2.9.

May 6.

22.

26,

promote the paffing of it; but the Commons vote, the coming of any number of perfons, in fuch a riotous and disorderly manner, to be a high crime and misdemeanor.

King William gives his affent to these acts: 1. For laying a duty upon leather, for three years. 2. For granting to his Majefty certain duties upon malt, mum, fweets, cyder, and perry, &c. &c. 3. 3. For licenfing hawkers and pedlars, for a farther provifion for payment of the interest of the transport-debt, for the reducing of Ireland. 4. For granting to his Majesty a farther fubfidy of tonnage and poundage upon merchandizes imported, for two years and three quarters; and an additional land-tax, for one year, for carrying on the war against France. 5. To enforce the act for the increase and encouragement of seamen. 6. For explaining and inforcing the act for paving and cleanfing the streets, within the Cities of London and Westminster, and Borough of Southwark, &c. 7. For the farther encouragement of the manufacture of luftrings and alamodes within this Realm, and for the better preventing the im portation of the fame. 8. To reftrain the number and ill practices of brokers and stock-jobbers.

Then the Parliament is prorogued to the 13th of May. Charles XI, King of Sweden, dies, and is fucceeded by his fon, Charles XII.

Charles, Earl of Dorfet and Middlefex, refigns the office of Lord-Chamberlain of the King's Houfhold, wherein he is fucceeded by Robert, Earl of Sunderland, who was now grown as much in favour as in the late Reign.

The Lord-Keeper, Somers, is conftituted High-Chancellor of England, and created Baron of Evesham.

King William having nominated Lords Juftices during his abfence, embarks at Margate, and lands, the next day, in Holland.

Conferences for a general peace are opened at Refwick, between the Plenipotentiaries of England and France; Mr. Lielenroot, the Swedish Ambaffador, being Mediator.

Aeth, in Flanders, is invefted by the French, and furrenders the 26th following.

The Imperial Plenipotentiaries deliver their demands to Mr. Lielenroot, in the name of the Emperor and the Empire.

De Pointis, the French Admiral, makes himself master of
Carthagena

Garthagena, in America, and gets there eight millions of Ann. C. 1697.

crowns.

Barcelona is invefted by the French, under the command June 2. of the Duke of Vendofme, and bravely defended by the Prince of Heffe Darmstadt: It did not furrender till the 5th of Auguft.

Auguftus, Elector of Saxony, is chofen King of Poland, 16. in oppofition to the Prince of Conti, who was a candidate.

The Earl of Portland, and Marshal Boufflers, having July 16. had before three conferences near Bruffels, concerning King William's perfonal interefts, and thofe of his Dominions, finally adjusts them this day, without the privity of the

Allies.

The Imperialifts, under the command of Prince Eugene, Sept. 1. of Savoy, obtain a fignal victory over the Turks, at Zenta; the Grand Vizier, and above 20000 of his men, being flain.

The Prince of Conti embarks at Dunkirk for Poland. The treaty of peace is figned at Refwick between France, England, Spain, and Holland; and ratified by King Wil liam at Loo, the 15th.

By the 4th article of it, the King of France engages, on no account whatsoever to difturb King William in the free poffeffion of the Kingdoms, Countries, Lands, or Dominions, which he then enjoyed. But there is not the leaft thing ftipulated therein, in favour of the French or other Proteftants, or of the late King James.

IO.

The Prince of Conti defpairing of fuccefs in his attempts O. 9. to obtain the Crown of Poland, fails back from Dantzick for France.

Peace with France is proclaimed at London.

The treaty of peace is figned between the Emperor and

Empire, and France.

On the fame day, the Duke of Burgundy is married to the Princefs of Savy.

19.

A proclamation is published, for apprehending his Ma- Nov. 2. jefty's fubjects who fhould return from France without licence:

And another, for apprehending the Duke of Berwick, Sir George Barclay, and others who were attainted of Hightreafon, and fuppofed then to be in England.

King William embarks for England, and lands at Margate the next day: Two days after he arrives in London, where he is received in as triumphant a manner as he would admit.

A thankf

II.

13.

16.