THE PREFACE. HE following Sheets are intended as an Addition to the Hiftorical Regifters already publish'd; and to render that Work a compleat Narrative of all the remarkable Oc currences that have happen'd during the whole Reign of his prefent Majefty King GEORGE, to this Time. For that Undertaking not having been attempted till the Béginning of the Year 1716, the remarkable Events of the first Seventeen Months of the King, computing from the Death of Queen ANNE, remain unaccounted for in our for mer . mer Collections: To fupply therefore that Defect, thefe Volumes are offer'd to the Publick; in the pe rufing whereof, the Reader will find the fame Method has been follow'd, as in the compiling of the former Regifters, and the fame Impartiality likewife obferv'd in the Narrative Part thereof, by barely relating Matters of Fact, without making any Defcant thereon, either of Commendation or Reprehenfion. The Actions are related, the Actors only mention'd, and the Reader left to judge, whether worthy of Blame or Praife. To convince the Publick of this Truth, it will fuffice to inform them, that thefe Volumes have been collected and compiled by the fame Perfon as the thirty-three Registers already publish'd; and it would be unreafonable to fufpect him of fwerving fwerving from a Method, which a Nine Years Experience had taught him was acceptable to the Publick. That the Reader may not be furpriz'd, at not finding in this Work fome of the moft memorable Events of the Year 1715, particularly, that there is little or no Mention made of the Rebellions that then broke out in England and Scotland, nor of the Death of Lewis XIV. King of France, or the Confequences attending it in that Kingdom, and fome other Affairs of lefs Moment; it will be neceffary to apprize him beforehand, that he will find those Matters related in the First, and in fome of the following Regifters: For Part of thofe Tranfactions falling within the Time we then undertook to write of, we confider'd that our Relations would have been imperfect, had we not gone fome what what back, and taken Notice of the Rife of those Affairs, whofe Progrefs and Conclufion it was of neceffity for us to mention. But tho' they are omitted in thefe Volumes, the Reader will, in their proper Places, find them referr'd to in the former Regifters, of which these Volumes are to be deem'd a Part. THE THE INTRODUCTION. Ntending to write the Hiftory of the Reign of his prefent Majefty King George, from the Time of his Acceffion to the Throne, to the Beginning of the Year 1716, at which Time the Hiftori cal Regifter No I. begins that Hiftory, it will be requifite, for the more perfect Understanding of feveral Tranfactions we thall have Occafion to mention, to premife, not only fome Occurrences that happen'd during the larer End of the preceding Reign, but alfo to take Matters fomewhat higher, and thew how the Succeffion to the Imperial Crown of thefe Kingdoms came to be fettled in the illuftrious Houfe of Hanover: Which Tranfactions, not being properly Part of the Reign we are going to write, yet abfolutely neceffary to be known for the Reafon above mention'd, fhall, together with fome others of the like Nature, be the Subject of this Introduction. First then, it will be neceffery to fhew, how the Crown of thefe Realms came to devolve on his pre fent Majefty King George. In the Year 1700, upon the Death of William Duke of Glouceffer, the only furviving Iffue of the Body of the late Queen, then Princess Anne of Denmark, King William III, having, in a Speech to both Houfes of Parliament, recommended to them to fettle the Succeffion to the Crown in the Proteftant Line, in Cafe of his own Death, and after the Deceafe of the Princess A Anne |