cession in the lower house, coincided with their intentions; for the bill sent down to the commons, with these amendments, was not returned to the lords till the 3d of March. It was there detained several days, and was not sent back to the commons till the 7th, on a Saturday,* in the hope of deferring it till the Monday; and as the king then lay upon his death bed, almost at the last extremity, such a delay would have been fatal. But the precautions of William, and the vigilance of the Whigs defeated their welllaid scheme. The commons adjourned till six in the afternoon; in this interval, the king, who was so weak that he could not hold a pen in his hand, stamped his name to the commission for passing the acts. When the commons met, a message was brought from the lords, importing that the king had signed the commission, and desiring their attendance. The speaker, accordingly, accompanied as usual with other members, went out, and returned with the report, that the royal assent had been given to the bill, and to two other acts. No event ever happened in a more critical moment; for William expired between eight and nine on the following morning. The last exercise of his kingly power was, his assent to the oath of abjuration, emphatically styled, by the friends of the dethroned family, his cursed legacy. ፡፡ Thus," observes a contemporary author, "he confirmed to posterity, with his expiring breath, that liberty, civil and reli

* Journals of the Lords and Commons,

+ Toland.

gious, for which during his life he had so often fought in the field; which he was indefatigably augmenting and establishing in his parliament; which he was continually bringing to perfection in his councils, and which, on his accession to the throne, he promised (as he faithfully performed) to secure against all future attempts to subvert it."

CHAPTER 4.

1702-1710.

Accession of Anne-Walpole supports the Whigs-Makes a Motion in Opposition to Sir Edward Seymour-Distinguishes himself in the Proceedings on the Aylesbury Election-Noticed by Earl Godolphin, and the Duke of Marlborough-Appointed one of the Seven Council to the Lord High Admiral—Secretary at War, and Treasurer to the Navy-Reconciles Godolphin to the WhigsNominated one of the Managers for the House of Commons, upon the Prosecution of Sacheverel-His Speech, and Publication on that Occasion.

IN the first parliament of queen Anne, Walpole was returned for Lynn Regis, where his family had long possessed a permanent interest. For this borough he was regularly chosen, until he was created earl of Orford.

Although he had spoken frequently in the house of commons, yet the first time in which he appears upon record, on a public* question, in the parliamentary debates, was on the 23d of December 1702, when Sir Edward Seymour having carried a resolution to bring in a bill for the resumption of all grants made in the reign of king William, and applying them to the service of the Public; Walpole moved, that all

* Notitia Parliam.-Lists of the House of Commons in Chandler's Proceedings of Parliament.

T

the grants made in the reign of the late king James; should also be resumed; but his motion was negatived.* The proposition of Sir Edward Seymour, directed against the Whigs, who had received the principal grants from king William, was supported by a Tory ministry, and easily passed through a Tory parliament; and the counter motion by so young a member, levelled against the grants made to the Tories, and in opposition to one of their great leaders, sufficiently proved that Walpole was rising into consequence, and had decidedly enlisted himself under the banner of the Whigs.t

* Journals of the House of Commons. Tindal, v. 15. p. 474.

† As a proof of Walpole's activity, and an indication of the principles and party which he supported, I have extracted, from the Journals of the House of Commons, the several questions in which he was teller, besides those already mentioned, until he was appointed secretary at war.

1702.-February 19th: Against a clause to be added to a bill, for the further security of his majesty's person and government, that persons who take upon them offices, shall not depart from the communion of the church of England.-February 26th: Against de. laying to read the report of a committee, to consider further of the rights, liberties, and privileges of the house of commons.—March 3d: In favour of a motion for an instruction to a committee on the bill for granting to his majesty divers subsidies.-1703. January 5th: For an amendment to an address, in reply to the queen's message.-1704.-November 14th: Against leave to bring in a bill for preventing occasional conformity.-December 14th: Against the said bill. December 19th: Against an instruction to a committee, that they have power to receive a clause for the qualification of justices of the peace, in a bill for the better recruiting her majesty's land forces, and the marines.-1705. January 16th: For a motion, that a bill be committed for appointing commissioners to treat of an union between England and Scotland, &c.-January 17th: For a question, that towards the supply, a duty be laid upon all goods imported from the East Indies, Persia, and China, inte

In the celebrated cause concerning the Aylesbury election 1704, Walpole distinguished himself in an eminent degree, and attained an high estimation with his party. Complaints of great partiality and injustice in the election of members of parliament, had been continually urged against the sheriffs in the counties, and returning officers in the boroughs, who often found pretexts for rejecting those electors who voted. against the members whom they espoused. When these disputes were brought before the commons, the house seldom entered into the

England, prohibited to be used in England, and from thence to be exported to Ireland, or any of the plantations.-January 27th: Against a bill, to prevent persons who are entitled by their offices to receive any benefit by public annual taxes, from being members of parliament, while they are in such offices.-February 21st: For an amendment in a bill for prohibiting all trade and commerce with France.-March 14th: Against a clause in an act for preventing the further growth of popery.-December 8th: Against a Motion for a committee to consider of the resolution of the lords, declaring those who should insinuate the church to be in danger, enemies to the queen, the church, and the kingdom.-December 19th: For the second reading of a bill, for better security of her majesty's person and government, and the succession in the Protestant line.-1706. February 4th: For an amendment made by the lords in the same bill.-February 13th: Against a clause to prevent irregular listing of men, to be added to the bill for recruiting the army and marines. -1707. February 10th: For an amendment to a bill for securing the church of England, as by law established.-February 22: Against a motion for an instruction to the committee on the Bill of Union, that the subjects of this kingdom shall be for ever free from any oath, test, or subscription, within this kingdom, contrary to or inconsistent with the true Protestant religion of the church of England, as is already provided for the subjects of Scotland, with respect to their Presbyterian government-December 12th: For an amendment to the above bill.-1708, January 29th: For the adjournment of a debate on the English forces in the service of Spain and Portugal, in 1707.