ઠંડ management of the navy, were of the greatest importance 1707. "to the profperity of this kingdom: And that therefore she "would ufe her utmost endeavours to encourage all those, "whofe duty it was, effectually to perform thofe fervices." But nothing followed upon this anfwer; and the queen feemed to be highly offended at the whole proceeding. On the 22d of November, upon a petition of several mer- Scotch chants of Scotland, complaining, "That goods and mer- merchants "chandizes (particularly French wines) brought by them relieved. Pr. H. C. "into England, fince the first of May last, had been seized; IV. 74and that the petitioners were under a profecution in the "Exchequer for the value thereof, and praying relief "touching the fame;" the commons refolved to addrefs the queen, that fhe would order the attorney-general to enter a Noli profequi, to discharge the feveral informations relating to the goods imported, cuftom-free, from Scotland, before the first day of May laft. The queen readily complied with this addrefs, both the court and parliament being willing, by this indulgence, to abate the difcontents of the Scots against the union. But, on the other hand, the commons ordered a bill to be The acts brought in to repeal the acts paffed in Scotland, for the fecu- of fecurity rity of that kingdom, and about peace and wat, which had and about given fo great a jealousy to the English nation, that the re- peace and fcinding of them was one of the principal views of the mi- war, orniftry, in the profecution of the treaty of union. This done, be rethe commons confidered thofe parts of the queen's fpeech re- pealed. lating to the making the union more compleat, and refolved, dered to on the 11th of December, " 1. That there be but one privy- Refoluti"council in the kingdom of Great Britain. 2. That the ons to "militia of that part of Great Britain called Scotland be regulated, in the fame manner as the militia of that 66 66 make the Union more part compleat. 1707. cr part of Great Britain called England is regulated. 3. That "the powers of juftices of peace for preferving the public "peace be the fame throughout the whole united kingdom. Εσ 4. That, for the better administration of juftice, and prefervation of the public peace, the lords of jufticiary be ap"pointed to go circuits twice in the year. 5. That the writs for electing members to ferve in the house of com"mons, for that part of Great-Britain called Scotland, be "directed to the fheriffs of the refpective counties, and that "the returns be made of such writs, in like manner as re<< turns are made of such writs in that part of Great-Britain called England." And they ordered a bill to be brought Refoluti in upon these refolutions. Two days after they took into ons about confideration the report from the committee, to whom thẻ the trade petition of feveral merchants trading to Portugal, Italy, and of Portu- Spain, was referred; which refolutions were agreed to by gal, Italy the house, viz. "Firft, That the merchants had fully and Spain. made out the feveral allegations of their petitions: Se"condly, That the preferving the Portugal trade was of the ❝ utmost concern to this nation, being, at present, the greatest "mart for vent of our woollen manufactures, corn, fish, and "other British commodities. Thirdly, That there was a confiderable collufive trade in French prize-wines carried "on before, and more increafed fince the falling of the fif"teen pounds per tun. Fourthly, That except effectual "provifion were made to prevent the like practices, with relation to the collufive trade of bringing in French wines, as if they were prize-wines, it would not only be a great "difcouragement to the Portugal trade, and traders, but indanger the intire lofs thereof." And a bill was ordered to be brought in upon the last resolutions. Then, the ftaté, accounts, and lifts relating to the forces in Spain and Pottugal, having been laid before the houfe, the confideration of the state of the war in thofe parts was deferred till the 7th of January; and feveral other papers relating to thofe affairs were ordered to be laid before the house (1). (1) While these things were depending, the commons, on the 25th of November, took into confideration the report of the committee appointed to examine the petition of Mr. John Afgill, a member of the houfe, in prifon in the Fleet for debt, at the On fuit of Mr. Holland, a Staffordfhire gentleman; which report was ordered to be re-committed. On the other hand, the houfe being informed of a printed book or pamphlet, figned J. Afgill, intitled, An argument, proving, that, according to the 2 cove On the 18th of December, the queen came to the house of lords, and having passed some money-bills, and the act for repealing the Scotch acts of fecurity, and about peace and war, made the following speech to both houses: "My lords and gentlemen, Am very I well pleased with the occafion of my coming hither at this time, and defirous to take this opportu"nity of expreffing to you the fatisfaction I have in feeing "fo good a progrefs made in the public bufinefs. "Gentlemen of the house of commons, "I am extremely fenfible of the readinefs and affection, with which you have provided fo confiderable a part of the fupplies. As I am fully perfuaded it must needs give "the greateft fatisfaction to all our allies; fo I look upon it as a fure pledge of your being disposed to make good those hearty affurances, which you gave me in the beginning of the feffion. covenant of eternal life, reveal ed in the fcriptures, man may be tranflated from hence into that eternal life, without paffing through death, although the human nature of Chrift himself could not be thus tranflated, till he had paffed thro' death. Several paffages of which treatife being contrary to, and reflecting on the chriftian religion, the book was brought up to the table, and the title, and feveral paragraphs therein, being read, it was ordered, That it be referred to a committee to inquire into the author of the faid book. On the 16th of December, the commons refolved, That Mr. Afgill ought to have the privilege of the house, as a member thereof, and be delivered out of the cuftody of the warden of the Fleet, to attend the fervice of " I the houfe. Purfuant to which refolution, he was immediately difcharged; but two days after, the house proceeded to take into confideration the report from the committee, to whom it was referred to examine, who was the author, printer, and publifher of the book above-mentioned, afcribed to Mr. Afgill; who having been heard in his place in relation to the report, the commons refolved, That in the faid book are contained many profane and blafphemous expreffions, highly reflecting upon the chriftian religion; and ordered the fame to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman in the New-Palaceyard, Weftminster; and refolv ed, that John Afgill, Efq; hav. ing in his place owned himself to be the author of the faid book, be expelled the house. 1707. 500 1707. "I told you, at the opening of this parliament, that Í "did hope you would look upon the services relating to "Spain, Portugal, and the army under the command of "the duke of Savoy, to be of so much importance in the "profecution of this war, that they might deferve an aug❝mentation; which I cannot but think will be of the greateft ufe to the common cause (1), both with regard to thofe (1) Mr. Addison wrote an excellent piece to this purpose, which was printed at London in 4to in 1704, under the title of The prefent State of the War, and the Neceffity of an Augmentation confidered. In this difcourie, after having fhewn, that the French are the conftant and most dangerous enemies to the British nation, and that the danger from them was then greater than ever, and would till increase till the union with Spain were broken, he fets forth the feveral advantages, which this union had already given France, and taken from Great-Britain, in relation to the Weft-Indies, the woollen manufactures, the trade of the Levant, and the naval power of the two nations. He then fhews how thefe advantages would ftill rife higher after a peace, notwithflanding the prefent conquefts of Great Britain, with new additions, should be confirmed to the nation, as well because the monarchy of Spain would not be weakened by fuch conceflions, as because no guarantee could be found fufficient us. For .to fecure them to which reafon he lays it down as a fixed rule, that no peace was to be made without an intire difunion of the French and Spania monarchies. That this might be brought about, he en deavours to prove from the pro grefs which had been already made towards it, and the fucceffes, which the British nation had purchased in the war, and which were very confiderable, if well purfued; but of no effect, if the nation fhould acquiefce in them. In order to compleat this difunion, in which we had gone fo far, he would not have us rely upon exhaufting the French treasury, attempts upon the Spanish Indies, defcents on France, but chiefly on out-numbering them troops, France being already drained of her best fupplies, and the confederates mafters of much greater forces for multitude and ftrength, both in men and horfes, and provided with generals of great fame and abilities. He then confiders the wrong measures, which had been hitherto taken in making too fmall levies after a fuccelsful campaign, in régulating their number by that of the enemy's forces. and hiring them of our confederates; fhewing at the fame time the inconve niencies fuffered from fuch hired troops, and feveral advantages, which would arife from employing thofe of our own nation. He further recommends this augmentation of our forces, to prevent the keeping up a ftanding body of them in times of "thofe particular fervices, and to the putting ourfelves in a "condition to improve fuch favourable opportunities, as "may arife in the enfuing year, of peace, to enable us to make an impreffion on the enemy in the prefent pofture of the war, and to fecure ourselves against the king of Sweden, who was then at the head of a powerful army, and had not yet decla 66 My We have indeed a much 'to let us fee, how much he red himself. In the laft placemented the falary of his court, vours rather than flacken them. If we must govern ourfelves by example, let us fo equally distributed, every rather imitate the vigilanceliance, but the question is, 1707. |