Anno I Will, ly prepared, having their Inftructions but late the Night before. III. 1690. 2dly. Because of how much greater Moment any thing is, fo much the greater Deliberation and Advice ought to be had upon it; and this is of fuch high Importance, that it not only concerns the City of London, but all the Corporations in England, that are by Prescription, and, in Confe quence, the Legislative of this Government. Cornwallis, Macclesfield, J. Bridgewater, Monmouth, Bath, Manchefter, Devonfhre, Clifford, J. Lovelace, Bolton, Bedford, Clare, Carteret, Herbert, P. Wharton, New. port, Montagu, R. Sydney, Stamford, Vaughan, War. rington, Offulfione, R. Eure, Oxford, Dorfet, Granville. The 20th, Their Lordships fent down a Meffage to the Commons, relating fome Expreffions, which gave Umbrage to that Houfe: See CHANDLER's Hift. Anno 2 W. and M. 1690, Page 383; and in the fame Page the King's Speech at putting an End to the Seffion. His Majefty foon after set out for Ireland, where the Battle of the Boyne paved the way for the Reduction of that Kingdom. September the 9th, The King returned to the Queen at Windfor; and three Days after both Houfes met, and were prorogued by Commiffion till October the 2d, when to 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 · The SECOND SESSION W AS opened with a gracious Speech from the Throne, (to be found in CHANDLER'S Hift. Anno 2 W. and M. 1690. Page 384.) on which Occafion the Lords presented an Address, in which they declared, Lords Addrefs to That being extremely fenfible of the great Benefit and the King. Advantage that his Majefty's late Expedition into Ireland had procured to all his Subjects in general, as likewife that the Succefs of his Majefty's Arms in that King dom was due, next to the Providence and Bleffing of God, to his Majefty's perfonal Valour and Conduct, did look upon it as their Duty to present their humble and hearty Thanks to his Majefty, for all thofe fignal Evidences he had given of his extraordinary Affection for his People, which had carried his Majefty in fo many Occa fions to venture a Life that was fo dear to them, and to defpife all Hazards to procure the Settlement of his King'doms, the Peace and Quiet of his Subjects, and the Eftablishment of their Religion. And as it was not poffible but but fo much Bravery of Mind, fuch an undaunted Cou- Anno a Will. 6 rage, and a Heart fo exalted above any Apprehenfions in III. 1699. the midst of all Dangers, muft gain his Majesty the Ad• miration and Reverence of all the World, and even of his Enemies themselves, who had felt the Effects of fo great Virtues, fo they did not doubt but that fuch extraordinary C Qualities muft unite the Hearts of his People in fuch a • Tenderness, as well as Duty, for his Royal Perfon, as was neceffary for the finishing what his Majesty had fo glori• oufly begun. The next Day their Lordships acknowledged the great And to the Advantage the Nation had received by the eminent Re- Queen, folution, as well as Prudence, her Majesty had fhewed in the Absence of the King, and in fuch Circumstances of Difficulty as would have difcompofed a Mind that had not been raised above them, as her Majefty had approved her's to be, by this undeniable Evidence: And declared, that her Majesty having preferved the Quiet and Peace, by her prudent Administration against the Dangers threatened by a powerful Enemy, the Remembrance of fuch extraordi6 nary Virtue muft ever dwell in their Minds, and engage them in Juftice, upon all Occafions, to express their Gra<titude, as became her Majefty's most dutiful Subjects.' AdmiraltyCommiffioners Bill October 30. Hodie 3a vice leta eft Billa, An A& concerning the Commiffioners of the Admiralty. The Queftion being put, Whether this Bill fhall pass into passed. a Law? It was refolved in the Affirmative, Contents 25; not Contents 27. Leave having been given to any Lords to enter their Disfents, if the Queftion was carried in the Affirmative, these Lords following do enter their Diffents in these Reasons : 1ft, Because this Bill gives a Power to Commiffioners of the Admiralty to execute a Jurifdiction which, by the Act of 13 Car. II. entitled, An Act for establishing Articles and Orders for the regulating and better Government of bis Majefty's Navy Ships of War and Forces by Sea, we conceive they had not; whereby the Earl of * Torrington may come to be tried for his Life, for Facts committed feveral Months before this Power was given or defired: We think it reasonable, that every Man should be tried by that Law that was known to be in Force when the Crime was committed. 2dly, It is by virtue of the said Act of 13 Car. II. that the Earl of Torrington was judged by this House not to have the Arthur Herbert, Efq; created Baron of Torbay and Earl of Torring ton, May 29, 1689. Proteft thereon. Anno 2 Will, the Privilege of a Peer of this Realm for any Offences comIII. 1690. mitted against the faid Act and there is no other Law, as we conceive, by which the faid Earl could have been debarred from enjoying the Privilege of a Peer of this Realm; which Act making no mention of Commiffioners of the Admiralty, but of a Lord High Admiralty only, by whofe Authority all the Powers given by that Act are to be exercised, and without whofe Confent fingly, no Sentence of Death can be executed, we think it of dangerous Confequence to expound a Law of this capital Nature otherwise than the literal Words do import; and, as we conceive it without Precedent to pass even explanatory Laws, much less fuch as have a Retrospect in them, in Cafes of Life and Death, fo we think it not at all neceffary to make such a Precedent at this Time, there being an undoubted legal way already established to bring this Earl to a Trial by a LordHigh-Admiral. Report concerning Impeach ments. Lords Salisbury 3dly, The Judges having unanimoufly declared, that the Law Marine was no where particularized in their Books, whereby the Power or Jurifdiction of the Lord High Admiral may be ascertained, fo that the Practice is all that we know of it, we conceive it unprecedented and of dangerous Confequence, that the Jurifdiction exercised by the Lord High Admiral fhould, by a Law, be declared to be in the Commiffioners of the Admiralty, whereby an unknown, and therefore unlimited Power, may be established in them. Rivers, Huntingdon, Rochester, Weymouth, Stamford, Dartmouth, Oxford, Macclesfield, Tho. Roffen', Crewe, Bath, Granville, Herbert, Craven, J. Exon, Bolton, J. Bridge water. The 30th, Report was made from the Committee appointed to infpect Precedents, whether Impeachments continue in Statu quo from Parliament to Parliament, of several Precedents brought from the Tower. After the Confideration of which Precedents, and others mentioned in the Debate, and reading the Orders made the 19th of March, 1678-9. and the 22d of May 1685, concerning Impeachments; and after long Debate thereupon and feveral Things moved, The Question was put, Whether James Earl of Salis and Peterborow bury and Henry Earl of Peterborough shall be now discharged discharged from from the Bail ? their Bail. It was refolved in the Affirmative. *The Crime thefe Lords were charged with was being reconciled to the Church of Rome. Leave being given to any Lords to enter their Diffents, Anno 2 Will. in these Reasons : ift, Because, we conceive, it is a Question not at all relating to the real Debate before us, but urged upon us, not for the fake only of the two Lords mentioned. 2dly, Because we ought to have examined Precedents of Pardons, to fee how far an Impeachment was concerned, before we had adjudged the Lords discharged, or whether an Impeachment could be pardoned without particular Mention in an Act of Grace, and what Difference there is between an Act of Grace and an A&t of Indemnity. 3dly, Because we did not hear the House of Commons, who are Parties, and who, in common Juftice, ought to have been heard before we had passed this Vote. Bolton, Stamford, Bath, North and Grey, Granville, Herbert, J. Bridgwater. Macclesfield. *November 25th, his Majefty gave the Royal Affent to feveral Acts, and at the fame time made a Speech, which see CHANDLER'S Hift. Anno 2. W. and M. 1690, Page 387. III. 1690. Proteft thereon. January 1ft, Hodie 3a vice lecta eft Billa, An Act for inYork-Buildings corporating the Proprietors of the Water-house in York-Build Water-Works ings, and for the encouraging, carrying on, and fettling the Bill pafs'd. faid Water. The Question was put, Whether this Bill fhall pass into a Law? It was refolved in the Affirmative. Diffentient' ift, Because there is, in this Act, an arbitrary Allowance left to the Proprietors to exact what Fines or yearly Rents Proteft thereon. they please for serving the Inhabitants with the faid Water. zdly, And that there is no Provision in the said A&t, that the Proprietors fhall engage for the making good the faid Leafes, and affuring the Inhabitants they fhall not want Water, nor any to apply to for Relief, in cafe the Inhabitants are injured for want of Water, or by any unreasonable Exactions of the Proprietors. Offulftone. W. and Seffion clofed and the King fets out for January 5th, the King put an End to the Seffion with a till the 16th, two Days after which he arrived at the Hague, The grand Conwhere the Electors of Brandenburgh, and Bavaria, the Dukes grefs. of Lunenburgh, the Landgrave of Hesse, the Duke of Zell, the Duke The 15th of this Month the King made Lord Godolphin first Com miffioner of the Treasury, Anno 2 Will. His Majefty's Speech at the opening thereof, Refolution taken thereon. Duke of Wolfembuttel, the Prince of Commerci, the Prince of Wirtemberg, Prince Walder, the Marquifs de Gaftanaga Governor of Flanders, the Count de Winditfgratz the Emperor's Plenipotentiary, the Count de Prela Doria Envoy Extraordinary from the Duke of Savoy, the Minifters of the Elector Palatine, of the Electors of Saxony, Mentz, Triers, and Cologne, and of several other Princes being also there in order to preferve the Liberties of Eurpe, his Majesty represented to them: "That the imminent Dangers they found themselves in, fufficiently discovered the Errors that had been committed, fo that he needed not to use any Arguments to fhew them the Neceffity of taking more just and better Measures; that, in the Circumftances they were in, it was not a Time to deliberate, but act; that the Enemy was Mafter of all the chief Fortreffes that were the Barrier of the common Liberty ; and that he would quickly poffefs himself of all the rest, if a Spirit of Divifion, Slownefs, and particular Intereft continued among them. That every one ought to remain perfuaded, that their respective particular Interests were comprized in the general one; that the Enemies Forces were very ftrong, and that they would carry Things like a Torrent before them. That it was in vain to oppose Complaints and fruitless Clamours, or unprofitable Proteftations against Unjuftice; that it was neither the Refolution of a barren Diet, nor the Hopes of fome Men of Fortune, arifing from frivolous Foundations, but Soldiers, ftrong Armies, and a prompt and fincere Union between all the Forces of the Allies that must do the Work; and that these two muft be brought to oppose the Enemy without any Delay, if they would put a stop to his Conquefts, and fnatch out of his Hands the Liberty of Europe, which he held already under a heavy Yoke. Concluding, That, as for himself, he would neither fpare his Credit, Forces, nor Perfon, to concur with them in so just and neceffary a Design; and that he would come in the Spring at the Head of the Troops, faithfully to make good his Royal Word, which he had fo folemnly engaged to them." This Speech from a Prince, to whom all the Perfons that compofed that illuftrious Affembly paid a respectful Deference, and in whofe Judgment and Experience they entirely confided, could not but produce the defired Effect; and thereupon it was refolved that * 222,000 Men should be employed *The Emperor was to furnish 20,000 Men. The King of Spain in Flanders, 20 000. The King of England 20.000. The States-General 35,000. The Duke of Sevoy, and the Troops of Milan, 20,000. The Elector of Bavaria 18,000. The Elector of Saxony 12,000. The Land |