Vol. III: Ann. C. that the Parliament would maintain and fupport it. Where1700. upon James Duke of Queensberry the High-Commiffioner adjourns them from time to time, to prevent the question being put; of which the Scots complain in a National addrefs to King William.

June 24.

27.

July 5.

20.

30.

Edward, Earl of Jersey, is conftituted Lord Chamberlain; and the Earl of Romney, Groom of the Stole. King William declares in Council his intention of going to Holland; and appoints Lords Juftices during his abfence.

His Majefty embarks at Margate, and the next day lands in Holland.

A league having been made between the Kings of Denmark and Poland, and the Czar of Muscovy, against the young King of Sweden Charles XII, and his enemies falling upon him on all fides, a fquadron of English and Dutch men of war are sent to his affiftance, who enter the Baltic about this time: Whereupon the Danish fleet retires in fome confufion; and, on the 18th of August, a peace was concluded between Sweden and Denmark, exclufive of Muscovy and Poland.

William, Duke of Gloucefter, the only furviving child of George and Anne, Prince and Princefs of Demark, dies at Windfor, aged 11 years, and five days;

And was buried on the fouth-fide of Henry VIIth's Cha

Aug. 9. pel.

The Character of the Duke of GLOUCESTER.

This delightful young Prince, though he was but of a weak and tender conftitution, yet he had a very manly foul, and a lively genius; for before he was full feven years of age, he underflood the terms of fortification and navigation, knew all the different parts of a ftrong place, and a fhip of war; and could martial a company of boys, who had lifted themfelves to attend him. He took much pleasure in hunting, and in martial exercifes: So that, in the year 1698, being then near upon entering into the 10th year of his age, King William III. thought fit to take him out of the hands of the Lady Fitzharding, his Governess, and to form a Family and a Court for his Highnefs; and was pleafed, on June the 19th, to appoint the Earl of Marlborough to be Governor to his Highness, as a mark of the good opinion his Majefty had of his Lordship's qualifications for an employment of fo great a truft. The King, at the fame time, appointed Dr. Burnet, Bifhop of Salisbury, his

Præceptor, who fpeaks thus of him: I had been trufted with his education now for two years, and he had made an amazing progress; I had read over the Pfalms, Proverbs, and Gofpels with him, and had explained things, that fell in my way, very copiously; and was often furprized, with the queftions that he put me, and the reflections that he made; he came to understand things, relating to Religion, beyond imagination; I went through Geography fo often with him, that he knew all the maps very particular; I explained to him the forms of Government in every country, with the intereft and trade of that country, and what was both good and bad in it: I acquainted him, with all the great Revolutions, that had been in the world, and gave him a copious account of the Greek and Roman Hiftories, and of Plutarch's Lives: The laft thing I explained to him was the Gothic Conftitution, and the Beneficiary and feudal laws; I talked of these things at different times, near three hours a day This was both eafy and delighting to him. The King ordered five of his chief Minitlers, to come once a quarter, and examine the progrefs he made: They feemed amazed both at his knowledge, and the good understanding that appeared in him: He had a wonderful memory, and a very good judgment. He had gone through much weaknefs, and fome years of ill health: The Princess was with child of him, during all the diforder we were in at the Revolution, though the did not know it herself at the time, when the left the Court: This probably had given him so weak a conftitution, but we hoped the dangerous time was over: His birth-day was the 24th of July, and he was then eleven years old: He complained a little the next day, but we imputed that to the fatigues of a birth-day; so that he was too much neglected: The day after, he grew much worse, and it proved to be a malignant fever: He died the fourth day of his illnefs, to the great grief of all who were concerned in him.

His Majefty embarks for England, and lands at Harwich, the next day.

nn, C.

1700.

. Pope Innocent XII. dies, in the 86th year of his age; Oct. 17. and was fucceeded, on the 23d of November following, by 28, Cardinal Albani, who took the name of Clement XI.

The Parliament of Scotland meets; and having received advice of the destruction of their fettlement at Darien fince their laft meeting, fall into violent heats and feuds. Notwithstanding, they at length pafs an act for keeping on foot

E 3

3000

29,

54

Ann. C. 3000 men, till the 1ft of December 1702; and another, for land-tax to maintain those troops.

1700.

Νου. 1.

N. S.

5.

6.

24.

Dec. 1.

12.

19.

a

Charles II, King of Spain, by the artifices of his Prime Minifter, Cardinal Portocarrero, and the intrigues of Marquifs d'Harcourt, the French Ambaffador, makes a will; wherein he difpofed of his Dominions to Philip, Duke of Anjou, fecond fon to the Dauphin of France;, and, in cafe he died without iffue, to others; without any partition, or difmembering of the Spanish Monarchy.

C

His death, after having been long expected, happens, at laft, after he had reigned 36 years, and in the 39th year of his age.

Ford, Earl of Tankerville, is made Lord Privy-Seal; and Sir Charles Hedges one of the Principal Secretaries of State. Philip, Duke of Anjou, is declared King of Spain, by his Grandfather, King Lewis XIV, without any regard to the Partition-treaty.

He is proclaimed King at Madrid, against which both the Emperor and the Pope proteft.

Charles XII. King of Sweden gains a fignal victory over the Mufcovites near Narva.

Laurence Hyde Earl of Rochester is appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland:

And Sidney Lord Godolphin, firft Commiffioner of the Treafury, in the room of Charles Mountague, Efq; crea ted Baron of Hallifax, and made one of the Auditors of the Exchequer.

The Parliament, after feveral prorogations, is diffolved by proclamation; and a new one fummoned, to meet the 6th of February following.

Frederic, Elector of Brandenburgh, is crowned King of

1700-1. Jan. 18. Pruffia.

Feb. 10.

The fifth Parliament of King William meets; and Robert Harley, Efq; is chofen Speaker of the Houfe of Commons. In his fpeech, the King tells both Houses, That the lofs of the Duke of Gloucefter had made it abfolutely neceffary, that there fhould be a further provifion for the fucceffion to the Crown in the Proteftant Line, after him and the Princess of Denmark: And defires them, maturely to confider of the prefent ftate of affairs abroad, upon the death of the Reg. 13. late King of Spain, and the declaration of his Succeffor to that Monarchy, &c.

The Convocation is opened, and Dr. George Hooper, Dean of Canterbury, is chofen Prolocutor of the Lower House.

The