1701.

Tuesday, 25 March.-Yesterday the duke of Norfolk presented a petition to the house of lords, praying for a longer time to pay his late dutchesse the 10,000l.; upon which a bill was ordered to be brought in accordingly.

The commons this day resolved, that after this parliament no person, being a commissioner or officer of the customes, shall be capable of being elected a member of parliament.

And they put off the consideration of what punishment to inflict on Mr. Shephard till Thursday se'nnight.

The lords this day read a first time the bill for regulating prisons; and read a 2d time the bill for divorcing Mr. Box the druggist from his wife.

Yesterday the lords presented their addresse about the treaty of partition; and his majestie answered to this effect, That their addresse was of importance; and he would take care that his alliances should be for the good of England.

To morrow the commons are to goe with their addresse to the like effect.

A book lately published, suppos'd by Dr. Davenant, intituled, Essays upon the Ballance of Power, having in page 40 these words, (are not a great many of us able to point out to several persons whom nothing has recommended to places of the highest trust, and often to rich benefices and dignities, but the open enmity which they have almost from their cradles profess'd to the divinity of Christ ;) which being considered the 22d by the convocation, they made an order, and fixt it on the doors of Westminster Abby, requiring the author to name those persons, as a service to the church, that they may be proceeded against in a judicial way; otherwise they should look on it as a publick scandal.

Foreign letters say, that 15,000 Germans have taken a strong passe which letts them into Italy, and thereupon the Venetians have declared for the emperor.

Thursday, 27 March.-Yesterday the lords examined several more witnesses about seperating the countesse of Anglesey from the earl her husband.

And received a petition from sir John Dillon to bring in a bill to divorce him from his lady; and then adjourned till Fryday.

Yesterday the commons went to Kensington with their addresse, to which his majestie answered: Gentlemen, I am glad you are pleased with my communicating to you the state of the negotiations I have entred into pursuant to your addresse: I shal continue to inform you of the progresse that shal be made in them, and be alwayes willing to receive your advice thereupon; being fully persuaded that nothing can contribute more effectually to the happinesse of this kingdom and the peace of Europe than the concurrence of the parliament in all my negotiations, and a good understanding between me and my people.

The committee of elections sat yesterday in the evening, and heard that for Lempster, and voted Mr. Edward Harley, the petitioner, duely elected, and not John Dutton Colt, esq., the sitting member.

This day the commons examined captain Kidd the pyrate; and Cogi Baba, a Persian merchant, attended in order to accuse him of robbing him in those seas to 60,000l. value. Kidd discovered little or nothing.

Letters were read from him to the earls of Romney and Orford, (who were part owners of the ship he went in ;) as also letters from lord Bellamont to duke Shrewsbury, lord Sommers, Orford, Albemarle, and Mr. secretary Vernon, which were laid before the house by the admiralty.

Afterward Kidd was remanded to Newgate, and sir Edmund Harrison, another of the owners of the said ship, was ordered to attend to morrow, when the legality of the patent commissioning Kidd to take pyrates ships is to be debated.

The earl of Pembrook, lord president of the council, is made first commissioner of the admiralty in the room of the lord Bridgwater, deceased.

Henry Boyle, esq. is made chancellour of the exchequer, and Thomas Pelham, esq. one of the lords of the treasury, in the room of Mr. Smith, who resigned.

Saturday, 29 March.-Yesterday came out a proclamation by his majestie for apprehending John Glover, Alexander Cutting, William Adye, and William Clifton, who abscond, pursuant to the addresse of commons, being charged with endeavouring, by bribery and other corrupt practices, to procure elections of members to parliament in several boroughs.

Yesterday the commons committed Mr. Whitaker, sollicitor to the admiralty, to the custody of the serjeant at arms, for taking insufficient bail for one Bolton, committed for confederating with Kidd the pyrate.

Sir Edmund Harrison, a Turky merchant, was examined as being mentioned in Kidds letter, and dismist.

After which they debated till 8 at night, and then divided whither the grant past under the great seal to the earl of Bellamont and others, of all goods which should be taken by capt. Kidd from pyrates before conviction, was illegal, and carried by 13 in the negative, 198 against 185.

Mr. Charles Boyle, brother to the lord Orrery, and Francis Wortley, esq., both members for town of Huntington, fought on Thursday in Hide Park, and the first dangerously wounded.

The lord keeper and the speaker of the house of commons have had letters delivered them by persons pretending they brought them from the duke of Savoy, wherein he asserts his sons right to the crown of England; and protests against the bill in favour of the princesse of Hanover.

This days Dutch post sayes that great part of the castle of Dresden, the seat of the elector of Saxony, is burnt.

That count D'avaux has answered Mr. Stanhope and the states by word of mouth as to their demands, that his master would stick to the peace of Ryswick.

The commons this day ordered an addresse to the king to issue out a commission of oyer and terminer for speedy tryal of capt. Kidd before the high court of admiralty.

Afterwards, upon the state of the nation, read the papers relating to the treaty of partition, and voted the lord Portland, who transacted that affair, guilty of high crimes and misde

meanours.

Then sat till 9 at night, when the question was putt, whither the lord Sommers, for fixing the seal to the said treaty, was not guilty of high crimes and misdemeanours, and carried in the negative by 7; 189 against 182.

Tuesday, 1 April.-Yesterday Mr. secretary Hedges delivered a message to the commons from the king, to this effect : That he had received an account from his envoy at the Hague, that the French ambassador there had declared to the states, that his master had no other answer to return to the states deLUTTRELL, VOL. V.

D

mands then to confirm the treaty of Ryswick, it being all the security they had to expect, and had no commission to treat with any but the states; and if his majestie had any demands, might be done by his ambassador at Paris or the French minister in London: his majestie also received 2 resolutions of the states, and a memorial from their envoy here, about the ships they are sending to join ours, and desire the succours to be hasten'd according to the treaty of 77; all which his majestie recommends to their consideration as a matter of the greatest consequence, and desires their advice thereon as may be for our security, the states general, and the peace of Europe.

And on Wensday they are to consider of the said message. Capt. Kidd was also examined again yesterday: he confest nothing material, so was remanded to Newgate.

This day the commons agreed with the committee that the earl of Portland was guilty of high crimes and misdemeanours, and voted an impeachment against him; and accordingly sir John Leveson Gower, &c. went to the lords barr and impeacht the said earl in the name of all the commons of England; and acquainted them that in due time they would exhibit articles against him; and to morrow they are to have a conference with the lords upon a letter that past between the said earl and Mr. secretary Vernon relating to the treaty of partition.

They read a first time the bill for setling the succession on the princesse of Hanover.

Thirty six men of war are in the Downs, where a Dutch squadron is speedily expected to join them.

Thursday, 3 Aprill.-Yesterday, the lords, after hearing of council, read a 2d time and committed the bill for seperating the countesse of Anglesey from her husband; and have made some progresse in that for divorcing Mr. Box the druggist from his wife.

The commons debated yesterday the kings message, and resolved, nemine contradicente, that their advice be given his majestie to desire him to carry on negotiations with the Dutch for their security, and that they'l enable him to support the treaty made with them in 1677; which was, in case of an attack, to assist them with 10,000 land men and 20 men of war.

This day they agreed with the committee that a supply be given his majestie to maintain the said treaty.

This day they heard the election for Lempster reported, and the house agreed with the committee that Mr. Edward Harley the petitioner, and not Mr. Colt, (the sitting member,) was duely elected.

They also heard the report of Hindon election, and recommitted it for this day three weeks, and then adjourned till Monday next.

Mr. Ward, merchant, is chose governor of the Bank of England, and Mr. Abraham Houblon deputy governor.

Yesterday, the trustees for circulating exchequer bills opened their books for new subscriptions at 57. per cent., and 100,000l. was immediately subscribed.

Yesterday, dyed of a lethargy the duke of Norfolk, hereditary earl marshal of England, (aged about 50,) knight of the garter, constable of Windsor castle and ranger of the castle there, one of his majesties privy councill, and lord lieutenant of Berks, Norfolk, and Surrey. His estate and honour descends to the late lord Thomas Howards eldest son, a Roman catholick, aged about 18.

Paris letters say the king of Portugal has concluded a league, offensive and defensive, with France and Spain, and to join the first with 20 men of war, to be commanded by French officers.

Saturday, 5 Aprill.-On Wensday an agent from France arrived here, belonging to the marquesse de Torcy, secretary and minister of state, who is to take care of the affairs of France until the arrival of a new minister, count Tallard being to return home on Monday, to give an account to the king his master of his negotiations in England.

Yesterday morning died the honourable Thomas Howard, esq., member of parliament for Castle Rising, and one of the four tellers of his majesties exchequer, a place worth 2000l. per ann.; and 'tis said the lord Spencer, son to the earl of Sunderland, is like to succeed him.

The same day came in a Dutch post, advising that the French ambassador at the Hague uses his utmost diligence to induce the states to enter into a seperate league, offensive and defensive, with France, and join them with their fleet, offering great summs of money to doe it, but as yet without effect.