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noble Member who did him the Honour to mention him firft, viz. The Criticalnefs of the préfent Juncture, and the important Matters that were like to be laid before the Houfe, were ftrong Reafons for him to decline a Truft, to which he was fo unequal; adding, there were now in the Houfe feveral Members, who had already 'difcharg'd it with general Satisfaction." But thefe Excufes were not admitted; and upon a general Cry for the Chair, Mr. Compton was carry'd to it by the two Lords before-mention'd, and chofen Speaker, Nemine Contradi

cente,

On the 21st of March, the King came to the House of Peers with the ufual State and Solemnity; and the Commons being fent for up, and attending, prefented the Honourable Spencer Compton, Efq; for their Speaker; whom his Majefty approv'd: After this, his Majefty was graciously pleas'd to declare from the Throne, That he had

order'd the Lord Chancellor to declare the Caufes of calling this Parliament, in his Majefty's Name and Words:" And accordingly the Lord. Chancellor read to both Houfes the following Speech, deliver'd into his Hands by his Majesty:

My Lords and Gentlemen,

T-meeting my People in Parliament, fince it pleas'd

HIS being the firft Opportunity that I have had of

Almighty God, of his good Providence, to call me to the Throne of my Ancestors, I moft gladly make use of it to thank my faithful and loving Subjects, for that Zeal and Firmnefs that hath been fhewn in Defence of the Proteftant Succeffion, against all the open and fecret Practices that have been used to defeat it: And I fhall never forget the Obligations I have to thofe who have diftinguish'd themfelves upon this Occa

fion...

It were to be wifh'd, that the unparallel'd Succeffes of a War, which was fo wifely and chearfully fupported by this Nation, in order to procure a. good Peace, had been attended with a fuitable Conclufion: But it is with Concern I must tell you, that fome Conditions even of this Peace, effential to the Security and Trade of Great Britain, are not yet duly executed; and the Performance of the whole may be look'd upon as precarious, until we shall have form'd defenfive Alliances to guaranty the prefent Treaties.

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The Pretender, who still refides in Lorrain, threatens to difturb us, and boafts of the Afliftance which he ftill expects here to repair his former Difappointments,

A great Part of our Trade is render'd impracticable s this, if not retriev'd, muft deftroy our Manufactures, and ruin our Navigation.

The publick Debts are very great, and furprizingly increas'd, even fince the fatal Ceffation of Arms. My firft Care was to prevent a farther Increase of these Debts, by paying off forthwith a great Number of Ships which had been kept in Pay, when there was no Occafion for continuing fuch an Expence.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I rely upon you for fuch Supplies as the prefent Cir cumftances of our Affairs require for this Year's Service, and for the Support of the publick Faith. The Estimates fhall be laid before you, that you may confider of them and what you fhall judge neceffary for your Safety, I shall think fufficient for mine.

I doubt not but you will concur with me in Opinion, that nothing can contribute more to the Support of the Credit of the Nation, than a ftrist Obfervance of all Parliamentary Engagements.

The Branches of the Revenue, formerly granted for the Support of the Civil Government, are so far incumber'd and alienated, that the Produce of the Funds which remain, and have been granted to me, will fall much fhort of what was at first design'd, for maintaining the Honour and Dignity of the Crown: And fince it is my Happiness (as I am confident you think it yours) to fee a Prince of Wales, who may, in due Time, fucceed me on the Throne, and to see him blessed with many Children, the best and most valuable Pledges of our Care and Cons cern for your Profperity; this must occafion an Expence to which the Nation has not of many Years been accu- › ftom'd; but fuch as furely no Man will grudge; and therefore I do not doubt but you will think of it with that Affection which I have Reafon to hope from you.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The Eyes of all Europe are upon you, waiting the Iffue of this firft Seffion. Let no unhappy Divifions of Parties here at Home, divert you from pursuing the common Intereft of your Country: Let no wicked Infinuations dif quiet the Minds of my Subjects. The establish'd Consti»» tution in Church and State fhall be the Rule of my Government;

vernment; the Happiness,Eafe,and Profperity of my People, hall be the chief Care of my Life. Those who aflift me in carrying on thefe Meafures, I fhall always esteem my beft Friends; and I doubt not but that I fhall be able, with your Affiftance, to disappoint the Defigns.of thofe who would deprive me of that Blefling, which I most value, the Affection of my People.

Her Royal Highnefs the Princess of Wales, the two young Princeffes, and a great many Ladies, were admitted into the Houfe of Peers on this folemn Occafion; and as foon as the King was retir'd, feveral Peers newly created, or advanc'd to higher Titles, were introduc'd into the Houfe of Lords: After which, that Houfe refolv'd to present an Addrefs of Thanks to his Majefty. The next Day the Committee appointed to draw it up, reported the fame to the Houfe as follows:

Moft gracious Sovereign,

WE

E your Majefty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, beg Leave to prefent to your Majefty our most humble and hearty Thanks for your Majefty's most gracious Speech to your Houfes of Parliament, and to affure your Majefty, that altho' we met together with Hearts deeply fenfible of the Goodness of divine Providence to us, in bringing your Majefty with Safety, and at fo critical a Juncture, to the Throne of your Ancestors; yet we could not but become ftill more affected with that ineftimable Blefling, when we heard fo very affectionate Expreffions from your Majefty towards your People; fo clear and full Affurances from a Prince of fuch known Honour and Juftice, that the establish'd Conftitution in Church and State fhall be the Rule of your Government; and fo juft and tender a Concern for our not having obtain'd thofe Advantages by the Peace, which would have been but a fuitable Conclufion to fo glorious and fuccefsful a War; nor as yet a due Execution of fome Conditions even of that Peace, effential to the Security and Trade of this Kingdom.

We are affected with Wonder, as well as with a júft Refentment, that a Pretender to your Majefty's Crown fhould yet be permitted to refide fo near your Dominions, efpecially after his publick boafting of an Affiftance he expects here, and his avowing a Defign to invade this your Majefty's Kingdom.

We are but too fenfible, that our Trade is render'd impracticable in the most valuable Branches of it, and of the ill Effects that must have upon our Manufactures and Navigation; but your Majefty may be affur'd, nothing fhall be wanting on our Part, that may any Way conduce to the retrieving it.

Thefe, and other Difficulties, your Majefty hath met with on your Acceffion to the Crown, (and which we must obferve, in Justice to your Wisdom and Forefight, would have been prevented, had your Opinion been follow'd) we must confefs are very great and difcouraging; however, we do not doubt, but that your Majefty, affifted by this Parliament, zealous for your Government, and the Safety and Honour of their Country, may be able to take fuch farther Measures, as will fecure what is due to us by Treaties, eafe our Debts, preferve the publick Credit, reftore our Trade, extinguish the very Hopes of the Pretender, and recover the Reputation of this Kingdom in Foreign Parts; the Lofs of which, we hope to convince the World by our Actions, is by no Means to be imputed to the Nation in general.

And thefe good Ends cannot fail of being obtain'd, by your Majefty's purfuing with Steadiness, as you have begun, the true Intereft of this your obedient and affectionate People: And your Majefty may, by God's Bleffing, depend, that in Conjunction with fo loyal a Parliament, you will be able to lay Foundations that can never be mov'd, not only of the Security and Glory, but even of the Eafe and Tranquillity of your Government, and that of your Majefty's Pofterity; for which we offer up our moft ardent Prayers, that it may for ever continue to reign after your Majefty on the Throne of thefe Kingdoms, and in the Hearts of a People truly happy, and fully fenfible of their being fo.

The

After the Reading of this Addrefs, there arofe a great Debate in the Houfe, chiefly about thefe Expreflions, And recover the Reputation of this Kingdom in Foreign Parts; the Lofs of which, we hope to convince the World by our Actions, is by no means to be imputed to the Nation in general. Lord Trevor, the Lord Viscount Bolingbroke, the Earl of Strafford, the Dukes of Buckingham and Shrewsbury, the Earl of Anglefey, the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of London and Bristol, and fome other Peers, excepted against that Claufe, alledging, among other Things, That it e was injurious to the late Queen's Memory, and even • clashing

clashing with that Part of his Majefty's Speech, which $ recommended to both Houfes the avoiding the unhappy • Divifions of Parties." The Lord Bolinbroke in particular made a long Speech, wherein he exprefs'd the heartieft and deepest Concern for the Memory of the late Queen his most excellent Miftrefs, Which, he faid, he would do all in his Power to vindicate: That he had the Honour to be one of her Servants, and if he had done any Thing amifs, he would be contented to be punish'd for it; but that he thought it very hard to be cenfur'd and condem'd without being heard. His Lordship took this Occafion to fay a great deal in Praife of the King: That his Majefty had feveral Times exprefs'd a great Respect and Tenderness for the late Queen's Memory; and was Prince of fo great Wisdom, Equity, and Justice, that he was fure his Majefty would not condemn any Man, without hearing what he had to say for himself; that fo Auguft an Affembly ought to imitate fo great a Pattern." And upon these, and other Reasons, his Lordship mov'd, that the Words recover, &c. might be foften'd into thofe of maintain the Reputation of this Kingdom; and that the reft of the Paragraph might be left out. The Earl of Strafford alfo excepted against that Clause, amongst other Arguments, Because it would expofe tlie Honour of the Nation abroad, which, he was fure, had fuffer'd no Di• minution during his Negociations." The Duke of

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Shrewsbury faid, in particular, That the House of Peers ought, on all Occafions, to be moft tender of the Honour and Dignity of the Crown, from which they derive their own Honour and Lustre : That therefore, when the like Claufe was inferted in an Addrefs of the Houfe of Commons to the late Queen, upon the Death of King William, he had exprefs'd to feveral Members of that Houfe his Diflike of it, because it reflected on the Memory of that Prince; and, for the faid Reason, he was against the faid Claufe." Thefe, and other Arguments urg'd on that Side, were anfwer'd by the Marquess of Wharton, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Nottingham, and the Earl of Ailesford, the Duke of Devonshire, and fome other Peers, who exprefs'd all the Refpect and Reverence for the late Queen's Memory, rightly diftinguish'd between her and her Miniftry; and maintain'd the Claufe in Queftion, by Arguments drawn from the Mifmanagements of the latter, hinted at in his Majefty's Speech. The Lord Chancellor, in particular, taking Notice of the Objections rais'd by the Lord Bolingbroke; among other

Things,

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