Things, faid, They did not condemn any particular Perfon, but only the Peace in general, because they felt the ill Confequences of it: That they who advis'd and made fuch a Peace, deferv'd indeed to be cenfur'd; bục that the Words in the Addrefs being general, no private Perfon was affected by them; and that the Alteration of the Word recover into that of maintain, would fignify no more towards the Juftification of the Guilty, than the Word recover towards the Condemnation of the Innocent.” Upon the whole Matter, the Queftion being put, whether the Addrefs fhould be recommitted or no, the Negative carry'd it by a Majority of 66 Voices against 33. The next Day the Houfe of Lords in a Body prefented their Addrefs to the King, who return'd the following moft gracious Anfwer :

I

My Lords,

Thank you heartily for this Addrefs: Your Duty and Loyalty to me can never be better express'd, than by fewing a juft Concern for the Reputation and Intereft of the Nation, fince I have no other Thought or View, but to promote the Profperity and Happiness of my People.

Before the Lords waited on the King with their Addrefs, they adjourn'd themfelves to the Monday following; then again to Wednesday the 30th of March; and then again to the 1st of April.

Let's now attend the Proceedings of the Commons.

On the 21st of March, Mr. Speaker alone, and then the other Members, took the Oaths, and made and fubfcrib'd the Declaration, and took and fubfcrib'd the Oath of Adjuration, according to the Laws made for those Purpofes; as did other Members the 22d, 23d, and following Days. On the 23d, a Bill for the more effectual preventing and punishing the fealing and unlawful killing of Cattle, was read the firft Time, and order'd a fecond Reading: After which, Mr. Speaker having reported to the House his Majefty's Speech, Robert Walpole, Efq; made a Speech, in which he fet forth the great Happiness of these Nations by his Majefty's feasonable Acceffion to the Crown; ran through the Mifmanagements of the four laft preceding Years; and concluded with a Motion for an Addrefs of Thanks to the King, conformable to the feveral Heads of his Majesty's Speech. He was feconded by the Lord Hinchinbroke: i and none but Sir William Whitlocke having

rais'd

rais'd any Objection against Mr. Walpole's Motion, it was refolv'd,

That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, to express our juft Senfe of the Divine Providence, in plaš cing his Majesty on the Throne of his Ancestors: To return his Majesty the Thanks of this Houfe for his moft gracious Speech from the Throne; for his Afsurances that the establish'd Conftitution in Church and State fhall be the Rule of his Government; and for his Goodness exprefs'd to those who diftinguish'd themselves by their Zeal and Firmnefs for the Proteftant Succeffion: To exprefs our Concern, that any Conditions of the late Peace effential to the Security and Trade of Great Britain, are not yet duly executed: That fuch Alliances have not been form'd as are neceffary to render the Peace durable : That our Manufactures and Navigation are in fuch Hazard, by the Difficulties brought upon our Commerce : And that the publick Debts are greatly encreas'd even fince the Ceflation of Arms: To declare our highest Refentment against the prefumptuous Declaration of the Pretender, and the Encouragement he boafts to have receiv'd from hence; and to affure his Majefty, that we will demonftrate our juft Senfe of the great Bleffings derived to thefe Nations in the Perfon of the Prince of Wales, and his Iffue, by enabling his Majefty to fupport the Dignity of the Crown, and to make an honourable Provision for the Royal Family: And that we will likewife grant fuch Supplies as fhall be neceffary for the Service of the Year, and for maintaining Parliamentary Credit; and will fupport his Majesty in fuch Alliances as he shall judge neceffary to make for preferving the Peace of Europe.

This Vote being pass'd, a Committee was appointed to draw up the faid Addrefs, of which Mr. Walpole was chofen Chairman: And then, according to Custom, the Houfe appointed the Five Grand Committees, for Religion, Grievances, Courts of Justice, Trade, Privileges and Elections; pafs'd feveral Refolutions about Elections; and made thé ufual Regulations relating to the fitting of the Houfe.

March 24, Some Commiffioners of the Customs attended, and prefented to the Houfe, according to former ftanding Orders, a Report of the Commiffioners of the Customs, with feveral Accounts of prohibited Eaft-India Goods. Then the Houfe taking Notice, by the Book of Returns, that the Sheriff of the County of Leicefter had not return'd any Knights of the Shire to ferve in this Parliament for the faid County, and that he had made a fpecial Retorn

why

why he had not return'd fuch Knights; the faid special Return was read, by which he certify'd, That he was affaulted in the Execution of the Writ, and that the Election was prevented by Riots. And the Houfe being inform'd, that there had been two Petitions left with the Clerk of the Houfe, (pursuant to a standing Order of the House) relalating to the Proceedings in the Execution of the Writ directed for the Election of Knights of the Shire for the said County, viz. 'A Petition of George Aftby, Efq; and Thomas Byrd, Efq; and also a Petition of Sir George Beaumont, Bart. James Winftanley, William Inge, and Samuel Bracebridge, Efqs. on Behalf of themselves, and feveral other Freehol ders of the County of Leicester: Thefe Petitions being read, it was order'd, that Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new Writ, for the electing Knights of the Shire for the faid County of Leiceber 2. That the Matter of the faid Special Return be taken into confideration upon Monday Fortnight; and 3dly, that Mr. William Baresby, Under-Sheriff of the County of Leicester, do attend this House upon that Day. After this, the Houfe taking also Notice by the Book of Returns, that there was no Return made for the County of Cumberland, order'd, that the Sheriff of that County do forthwith attend this House, to give an Account why there was no Return of Members for the faid County. Then Mr. Walpole reported from the Committee beforemention'd, the Addrefs of Thanks to be prefented to his Majesty, as follows:

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

You

YOUR Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled, return your Majefty their unfeigned Thanks for your most gracious Speech from the Throne.

'Tis with inexpreffible Joy that we approach your Majefty, peaceably feated upon the Throne of your Royal Anceftors; and being throughly fenfible of the many open and fecret Practices that have of late Years been used to defeat the Proteftant Succeffion, we cannot fufficiently adore the Divine Providence, that fo feasonably interpofed, and faved this Nation by your Majefty's happy Ac ceflion to the Crown.

Your faithful Commons receive with the highest Gratitude, your moft gracious Affurances, that the established Conftitution in Church and State, fhall be the Rule of your Government; and the Safety, Eafe, and Profperity

of

of your People, the chief Care of your Life. We are fenfible of your Goodness expreffed to those who have distinguished themselves by their Zeal and Firmness för the Proteftant Succeflion: And as we doubt not, but the Wisdom and Steadiness of your Government will unite the Hearts of all your faithful Subjects, in Duty and Affection to your Sacred Perfon, fo we most humbly beg Leave to affure your Majefty, that we not only highly resent the wicked Infinuations used to difquiet, the Minds of your Subjects, but are refolved, to the utmost of our Power, to fupprefs and extinguish that evil Difpofition that is ftill at work to deprive your Majefty of the Affections of your People.

We are fenfibly touch'd, not only with the Difappointment, but with the Reproach brought upon the Nation by the unfuitable Conclufion of a War, which was carry'd on at fo vaft an Expence, and was attended with such unparallell'd Succeffes: But as that Dishonour cannot in Justice be imputed to the whole Nation, fo we firmly hope and believe, that thro' your Majesty's great Wisdom, and the faithful Endeavours of your Commons, the Reputation of thefe your Kingdoms will in due Time be vindicated and reftor❜d.

We are under Aftonishment to find, that any Conditions of the late Peace, effential to the Security and Trade of Great Britain, fhould not be duly executed; and that Care was not taken to form fuch Alliances, as might have render'd that Peace not precarious. And as no Care shall be wanting in your loyal Commons to enquire into these fatal Miscarriages, fo we entirely rely on your Majesty's Wisdom, to enter into fuch Alliances as you shall judge neceffary to preferve the Peace of Europe; and we faithfully promife to enable your Majefty to make good all fuch Engagements.

It is with juft Refentment we obferve, that the Pretender still refides in Lorrain, and that he has the Prefumption, by Declarations from thence, to ftir up your Majefty's Subjects to Rebellion: But that which raifes the utmost Indignation of your Commons is, that it appears therein, that his Hopes were built upon the Measures that had been taken for fome Time paft in Great Britain. It shall be our Business to trace out thofe Measures whereon he placed his Hopes, and to bring the Authors of them to condign Pu nishment.

Your Commons are under the deepest Concern, that a great Part of our Trade is render'd impracticable, which, if not retriev'd, must destroy our Manufactures, and ruin

our

our Navigation: But tho' we are too fenfible of thofe fa tal Confequences, we are not yet without Hopes, that your Majefty's great Wisdom, by the Affiftance of your Commons, may find Means to extricate your People from their prefent Difficulties.

The Bleffings derived to thefe Nations from your Maje fty's aufpicious Reign, are not confined to the presenc Times; we have a Profpect of future and lafting Happinefs entail'd upon your People by a long Succeffion of your Royal Progeny. And as this is a Bleffing which thefe Kingdoms have a long Time wanted, fo they could never hope to have feen it fo well fupply'd, as in the Perfon of his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales, and his Iffue. Your faithful Commons fhall therefore think it their Duty to enable your Majefty to fupport the Dignity of the Crown, and to make an honourable Provifion for the Royal Family.

The furprizing Increafe of the publick Debts, even fince all Thoughts of carrying on the War were laid afide, fhall not discourage us from granting fuch Supplies as fhall be neceffary for the Service of this Year, and the Support of Publick Faith: And we do entirely concur with your Majefty in Opinion that nothing can contribute more towards preferving the Credit of the Nation, than a stric Obfervance of all Parliamentary Engagements, which we are firmly refolv'd upon all Occafions inviolably to maintain.

Upon the Reading of this Addrefs, there arofe a warm Debate in the Houfe: Mr. Shippen, Mr. Brumley, Sir Wil liam Wyndham, General Rofs, Mr. Cafar, Mr. Ward, Sir Robert Raymond, Sir William Whitlocke, Mr. Hungerford, and fome others, raised several Objections against divers Expreffions in the Addrefs; but were anfwer'd by Mr. Robert Walpole, General Stanhope, Sir Gilbert Heathcote, and Mr. Pulteney. General Rofs, among the reft, infifted much,

That the condemning the Peace, and cenfuring the late 'Ministry, was a Reflection on the late Queen, whose 'Act and Deed the Peace was; and that he was fure the reflecting on the late Queen, could not be agreeable to his prefent Majefty." He was answer'd by Mr. Walpoles and Mr. Stanhope, That nothing was farther from their Intentions, than to afperfe the late Queen; that they rather defigned to vindicate her Memory, by exposing and punishing those evil Counsellors, who deluded her into pernicious Measures; whereas, the oppofite Party • endeavoured