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May Heaven ftretch beyond the common Limits, a Life adorn'd with fuch admirable Qualities!

May Heaven pour down upon your Majefty's Reign the choiceft of his Bleffings, and perpetuate the fame in your Royal Family, till Time fhall be no more.

Permit us, great Sir, to beseech your Majefty, gracioufly to accept our Endeavours, to attain the End propos'd by our Sovereigns, to render ourselves worthy of your Majefty's Protection; and to perfwade your Majesty of our most humble Respects and profound Vene

ration.

The Audience being over, their Excellencies were reconducted in the fame Manner to their own House by the Earl of Grantham, the Mafter of the Ceremonies, and the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber.

On Monday the 14th of March, their Excellencies were conducted by the Mafter of the Ceremonies, to an Audience of his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales. They were receiv'd at the Door of his Guard Chamber by the Earl of Hertford, Gentleman of the Bedchamber to his Royal Highnefs in waiting, at the Door of the Room of Audience, his Royal Highnefs's Prefence Chamber, they were met and conducted by the Duke of Argyle, Groom of the Stole to his Royal Highness, to whom they addrefs'd themselves in the following Speech.

SIR,

T

HE ardent Zeal for the Defence of the Proteftant Church, and of the Liberties of Europe, which fhines fo bright in your Royal Highness upon all Occafions; that Zeal which has made you so often expose your precious Life, and raifes you fo high above other Princes, gains you fo great a Veneration amongst all thofe who love their Religion and their Country, that we think it needlefs to mention the other extraordinary Endowments which your Royal Highness is poffefs'd of in fo eminent a Degree.

Our Lords and Mafters the States General of the United Provinces, have order'd us to testify to your Royal Highnefs, the high Efteem they have of a Zeal fo neceffary.

From hence they have conceiv'd the ftrongeft Hopes, that your Royal Highness will not refufe to fupport them in their Endeavours, to compleat the Security of Religion

and

and Liberty, by the ftrictest Alliance, and by confirm" ing the Union between thefe Kingdoms and their Do minions.

SIR,

Their High Mightineffes remember with Pleasure, the Affurances of Friendship which you were pleas'd to give them, when they had the Satisfaction to express to you in Perfon the Refpect and Esteem which they have for your Royal Highness.

They earnestly prefs for the Continuance of that Friendfhip, and affure your Royal Highness, that nothing shall be wanting on their Part to manifeft the Sincerity of their Intentions, and their inviolable Attachment to your Interefts.

By the happy Advancement of his Majefty to the Crown, the black and terrible Clouds which hung over thefe Kingdoms, over our Republick, and over the whole Body of Proteftants, are entirely difpers'd; and the Defigns of your Enemies, the Favourers of Popery and arbi trary Power, quite overturn'd.

What a Source of Fears and Terrors muft it have been for those who love Virtue, had the Duration of this Happiness depended upon one Life only, and did we not fee in your Royal Highness a worthy Succeffor, able to carry on the glorious Work begun by your August Father.

But that which crowns our Joy, and confirms us in the Poffeffion of fo unexpected a Felicity, is the happy Offspring with which Heaven has been pleas'd to blefs you; 'tis the Crown firmly establish'd in your Royal Fa mily, from which, if our Prayers may be heard, it fhall never depart while the World endures.

Heaven grant, Sir, that you may be always the Object of its Bleflings, and of the Peoples Love; that admiring your Royal Highness's confummate Valour, moft happy Genius, great Wisdom, and exact Justice, they may every Day be more and more devoted to you.

May Heaven grant you a more long, and a more happy Life than any Prince has hitherto enjoy’d.

That a Life fo precious, fo useful, and fo neceffary for the publick Welfare, may be crown'd with Profperity, Satisfaction and Glory.

This, Sir, is what we wish from the Bottom of our Hearts: Happy if perfwaded of our Efteem and Veneration, your Royal Highness vouchsafe to grant us an

Intereft in your Protection, and in the Honour of your

Favour.

The next Day, their Excellencies had an Audience of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, to whom they made the following Speech:

MADAM,

WE

7E have the Honour to approach your Royal Highnefs with all the Refpect due to your Rank; and at the fame Time, with an entire Confidence, that you will be pleas'd to grant what we defire in the Name of our Lords and Masters the States General of the United Provinces.

Their High Mightineffes intreat your Royal Highness to believe, that they have a high Efteem and perfect Veneration for your illuftrious Perfon and shining Virtues.

They pray that your Royal Highness would please to fupport, with your powerful Influence, the Interest of their Republick; and to continue thofe Marks of Favour, of which they have already had, fuch convincing Proofs, as they fhall ever keep in Remembrance.

MADAM,

Our Confidence is founded upon that pious Zeal which has thone fo bright in your Royal Highness for the Good of the Proteftant Religion, and upon that earneft Defire which you have testify'd to fee the Union confirm'd betwixt thefe happy Kingdoms and our Republick. An Union which we dare venture to fay, is the firmeft Support of the Church, and of the Happiness of both Nations.

'Tis with Orders, to fet about a Work fo neceffary, to renew Alliances, and make the Ties of them indiffoluble, that their High Mightineffes have fent us to this Court; and 'tis for the Accomplishment of this great Defign, that we implore the Protection of your Royal Highnefs.

In your moft tender Years, your Royal Highness gave fuch illuftrious Proofs of an Heart entirely devoted to God; you defpis'd, with fo much Courage and Firmnefs, thofe dazling Grandeurs which combated the Duties you ow'd to Confcience, that there's nothing too great for the Proteftant Religion to expect from fo noble a

Soul!

Befides, your Royal Highness has given fuch Proofs of a generous Friendship to our Republick, that we flatter ourfelves

ourselves, you will not deny our Mafters the Favour which they expect from you.

We fhall take the Liberty, Madam, to have Recourse to your Friendhip, and, at the fame Time, farther to admire thofe wonderful Qualities, which, though your Birth and Rank be high, do ftill raise you higher!

That Sublimity of Mind, that Prudence, that Spirit of Difcernment, that Charity, that Sweetness, that Affability, and that unweary'd Diligence you make Ufe of in the Education of your Royal Offspring, with fuch a happy Succefs, as already makes all who fee them, admire them, and gives us a joyful Profpect, that one Day they will poffefs the Virtues of their illuftrious Anceftors!

May your Royal Highness be an Eye-witnefs of it.

May fo accomplish'd a Princefs be long the Darling of Mankind!

And as God, who gave your Royal Highnefs Strength to refufe the Temptations of the World, feems to have deftin'd you to be the Protectress of the Proteftant Church ; may he enable you to fupport it, boch by your Royal Influence, and by your Example.

May your Royal Highnefs be fo happy as to fall upon Methods for a perfect Union betwixt all its Members, and by the Execution of that Defign which hitherto has been too hard for the greatest Genius, draw down upon you more and more the Bleflings of Heaven.

Accept, Madam, with that Grace and Goodness which are fo natural to you, our ardent and fincere Vows, and vouchsafe to grant us the Liberty to affure your Royal Highness, that we are entirely at your Devotion.

The fame Day, their Excellencies had an Audience of the two young Princeffes, Daughters to the Prince, and Princess of Wales,

We are led now, in Point of Time, to relate the Pro ceedings of the first Parliament of King George, from the Day of their Meeting on March 17, 174, to January 9; 171, where our Hiftorical Regifter, N° 1, Page 139, begins that Account.

Proceedings of the Parliament of Great Britain.

On the 17th of March, the Parliament of Great Britain met at Westminster according to the Writs of Summons.

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His

His Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales, in his Robes, was introduc'd into the Houfe of Peers by the Right Honourable the Lord Prefident of the Council, the Lord Steward, and the Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's Houfhold, all in their Robes; being preceded by Sir William Oldes, Gentleman Ufher of the Black Rod, Clarenceux, King at Arms, (in the Abfence of Garter King at Arms) the Lord Great Chamberlain, and the Duke of Argyle, carrying on a Cushion his Royal Highnefs's Crown. His Royal Highness's Patent being prefented to the Lord Chancellor, was read, as was alfo his Writ of Summons, and then his Royal Highness was plac'd in the Chair on the Right Hand of the Chair of State on the Throne : Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, having the two young Princeffes her Daughters with her, was plac'd on the Right Hand of the Prince, in a Seat rais'd on Steps equal with the Throne. His Majefty entering in his Royal Robes, and' being feated on the Throne with the ufual Solemnity, the Gentleman Ufher of the Black Rod was fent with a Meffage to the Houfe of Commons, commanding their Attendance in the Houfe of Peers: The Commons being come thither, his Majefty's Pleasure was fignify'd to them by the Lord Chancellor, that they should return to their House and chufe their Speaker, and present him to his Majesty on the 21ft. After his Majefty had retir'd out of the Houfe of Peers, his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales took the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy, and made and fubfcrib'd the Declaration, and also took and fubfcrib'd the Oath of Abjuration.

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As foon as the Commons were return'd to their House, the Earl of Hertford, Son and Heir apparent to his Grace the Duke of Somerset, stood and faid, 6 That accord ເ ing to his Majefty's Pleasure, they were immediately to proceed to the Choice of a Speaker; that, in order C thereto, they ought, in the first Place, to confider, that fcarce any Parliament ever met in a more critical Juncture than this, when Matters of the highest Importance were like to be laid before the Houfe: That therefore they ought to fix their Choice upon a Perfon of known Parts and Abilities; and that, in his Opini" on, none was every Way better qualify'd for fo great ፡ an Office, than Mr. Spencer Compton." His Lordship was feconded by the Lord Finch, eldest Son to the Earl of Nottingham, who enlarg'd upon Mr. Compton's Abilities: Upon which Mr. Compton ftood up, and modeftly excus'd himself, faying, That the very Arguments urg'd by the

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