1

fhew the Charity of the Queen, and the Generosity of her Lord Treasurer.

The Papers referr'd to in Mr. Prior's Letter, contain an Account of what the Duke of Lorrain had done at the Defire of the King of France, to obtain from the Allies the neceffary Safeguards for the Chevalier. He fays, That understanding that the Queen of Great Britain had already granted her Safeguard or Protection to the Chevalier de St. George, he believ'd they had no more to do, but to apply to the Emperor, and to the States General. By this Account it is evident, that Abbot Gualtier manag'd the Affairs of the Pretender, with whom such Practices were verbally to be tranfacted, as our Miniftry did not think proper to commit to writing. That the Place to which he was to go, because no Body would receive him at the Hazard of the Queen's Difpleasure, and where he might remain in Safety, was to be prefcrib'd from England. That this was not fix'd and determin'd till Lord Bolingbroke went into France. And if his Lordship's Inftructions are confider'd, it will be hard to find in them any Thing of that Importance and Secrecy, as to require his going in Perfon to fettle it. His Lordship gives an Account from thence, that the Pretender was to go to Bar, and this is acquiefc'd in here, without the leaft Objection made.

The Miniftry are told by Mr. Prior, That the Court of France hopes, by our Intereft, fuch Paffports would be procur'd as might fecure his Perfon: And in the Paper fent to France from the Duke of Lorrain, it is afferted, That the Queen of Great Britain had already granted her Protection to the Pretender. But November the 6th, 1713, Lord Bolingbroke writes to Mr. Prior, Her Majefty having repeated to the Duke of Lorrain the Inftances which you know have been fo often made to the Moft Chriftian King, for removing the Pretender to her Crown out of his Dominions, I am directed to acquaint you therewith, that you may speak to the Minifter of Lorrain, and to any other Minister whom you Shall think proper, and let them know it is abfolutely inconfiftent with the Amity and good Correspondence that is between the Queen and their Mafters, to receive into their Dominions, or to protect a Perfon, who difputes her Majefty's Title, and endeavours to disturb the Peace of her Kingdoms. That you may be able to fhew them that this is the collective Senfe of the whole Nation, as well as the Queen's Command to you, I herewith fend you the Addresses of both Houses of Parliament. This can be understood as no more than a bare Compliance with the Addreffes of Parliament. And to fhew

how little Refentment and Indignation was conceiv'd against the Duke of Lorrain for this Indignity offer'd to her Majefty, the Committee infert here a Letter wrote by Lord Bolingbroke to Mr. Prior, within four Days after his laft mention'd Letter upon the Subject of the Pretender. This Letter, fays Lord Bolingbroke to Mr. Prior, will be deliver'd to you by the Baron de Forstner, who has been twice at our Court with the Character of Envoy from the Duke of Lorrain, and who is extremely well with your Friends on this Side of the Water, that I make no doubt but that he will be a welcome Acquaintance to you: I must at the fame Time recommend the Intereft of the Duke of Lorrain his Mafter to your Care. You know, Sir, how little that Prince has yet felt the good Effects of what was ftipulated for him at Ryfwick: You know, Sir, how justly he pretends to an Equivalent from this Emperor for the Montferrat, which was given away from him to the King of Sicily. In a Word, you are enough appriz'd of his Wants, of his Expectations, and of her Majesty's earneft Defire, if by any Means he can, to contribute to the Eafe, and to the Advantage of a Prince, who deferves much better Ufage than he has on many Occafions met with.

There are feveral other Letters that were wrote after the Addrefs of Parliament to prefs the removing of the Pretender from Lorrain; but 'tis needlefs to obferve what little Effect was to be expected from fuch Representations made in the several Courts of Europe, which were known to be contrary to the Senfe and Intention of the Court of Great Britain. And if any further Demonstration was wanting to shew their true Spirit aud Inclination, it may be obferv'd, that the Addreffes in Parliament were made in July 1713 and the first Letter that Lord Bolingbroke wrote in Pursuance of thofe Addreffes, was on the 6th of November, which was four Months after the Addresses were prefented to the Queen.

The Committee infert here an Extract of a Memorial touching the Demolition of the Sluices of Dunkirk, deliver'd by Monf. de Torcy to Lord Bolingbroke at Paris, in August 1712. It is not our Business now to examine whether the Queen of England, and the English Nation, were in the Right to demand the Demolition of the Fortifications, and the filling up the Harbour of Dunkirk, that is a Thing refolv'd and agreed upon. It may perhaps come to pass in the Course of this Affair, for Reafons easily to be foreseen, that England Shall repent having demanded the Demolition of a Place, and the Deftruction of an Harbour, which might be of great Use in Conjunctures which perhaps are not very remote,

The Committee do not take upon them to explain what Conjuncture France had in View, and which they thought not very remote, when Dunkirk might be of particular Service; but think it proper to conclude this Part of the Report with obferving, that the Pretender did, immediately upon the Demife of the late Queen, publish a Declaration, which the Duke of Lorrain has acknowledg'd in his Letter of the 6th of December, 1714, that he receiv'd from the Pretender himself, wherein is this remarkable Paffage. Yet contrary to our Expectations upon the Death of the Princefs our Sifter, (of whofe good Intentions towards us we could not for fome Time paft well doubt; and this was the Reason we then fat ftill, expecting the good Effects thereof; which were unfortunately prevented by her deplorable Death) we found that our People, instead of taking this favourable Opportunity of retrieving the Honour and true Inte reft of their Country, by doing us and themselves Juftice, had immediately proclaim'd for their King a foreign Prince, to our Prejudice, contrary to the Fundamental and Inconteftable Laws of Hereditary Right, which their pretended Acts of Settlement can never Abrogate.

After this, the Committee infert at large a Letter from the Earl of Oxford and Mortimer to the Queen, dated June the 9th, 1714; with an Account of Publick Affairs from August the 8th, 1710, to June the 8th, 1714, all written with his own Hand. The Letter is as follows:

May it please your Majesty,

Tho' 1

Prefume, in Obedience to your Royal Commands, to lay before your Majefty a State of your Affairs. have very much contracted it from the Draught I made, and the Vouchers from whence it is taken, yet I find it swell under my Pen in tranfcribing, being willing to put every Thing before your Majesty in the cleareft Light my poor Understanding can attain to. It was necessary to lay it before your Majesty in the Series of Time, from the Beginning to this prefent Time; and when that is compleatly laid before you, it remains only for me to beg God to direct your Majefty.

And as to myself, do with me what you please, place me either as a Figure, or a Cypher, difplace me, or replace me, as that beft ferves your Majesty's Occafions, you shall ever find me, with the utmoft Devotion, and without any Referve,

MADAM,

Your moft dutiful, most faithful, moft humble,

moft obedient Subject, and unworthy Servant,

$ 3

OXFORD.

A Brief Account of Publick Affairs fince Auguft the 8th, 1710, to this prefent 8th of June, 1714. To which is added, The State of Affairs Abroad, as they relate to this Kingdom; with fome humble Proposals for fecuring the future Tranquillity of her Majefy's Reign, and the Safety of her Kingdoms.

H

ER Majefty on the 8th of August, 1710, was pleas'd to alter her Treafury, and two Days after, in a new Commiffion, Robert Harley, by her Majesty's great Favour, was made Chancellor of the Exchequer. The State of Affairs at Home and Abroad are fresh in every ones Memory.

The Condition of the Treafury at that Time was laid before her Majefty in a large Reprefentation. I beg leave to touch fome few Heads. The Army was in the Field; no Money in the Treafury; none of the Remitters would Contract again; the Bank had refus'd to lend a Hundred Thoufand Pounds to Lord Godolphin on very good Secu rity; the Navy, and other Branches of Service, Eleven Millions in Debt, which enhanc'd the Price of every Thing proportionably; the Civil Lift in Debt about Six Hundred Thoufand Pounds, and the yearly Income too little for the currant certain Expence, by the lowest Computation, One Hundred Twenty Four Thousand, Four Hundred Ninety Five Pounds, Two Shillings and Four Pence.

In a few Days this new Commiffion made Provifion for paying the Army by the greatest Remittance that had ever been known; tho' the Oppofition from every Office, which was full of Perfons who were Enemies to the Change made by the Queen, was very strong, and very troublesome and vexatious; and fuch was the Situation of Affairs, that nothing but great Patience could ever have overcome thefe Difficulties; it being impoffible, as well as unavoidable, to make Removes, but by Degrees.

As foon as it was poffible, (and notwithstanding the Clamours then rais'd, it was the only proper Time) a new Parliament is call'd. Its first Meeting was November the 27th, 1710, Robert Harley had prepar'd the Funds ready, (before the Parliament met, as he has done every Seffion to this Day) not only for the Current Service of the Year, both by Sea and Land, but also for eafing the Nation of above Nine Millions of Debt. This was thought fo Chi

merical

merical when Robert Harley did begin to open it, that it was treated with Ridicule, until he fhew'd how practicable it was. It is true, this gave great Reputation Abroad, and enabled to treat advantageoufly of a Peace; it rais'd finking Credit at Home; but at the fame Time as it drew Envy upon Harley from fome, and the Rage of others, fo it gave Offence to fome of his Fellow Servants, who told him plainly, that he ought to have told his Secret, and if he would not get Money himself, he ought to have let his Friends fhare a Hundred Thousand Pounds, which would not have been felt or found out in fo vaft a Sum as Nine or Ten Millions.

To this Principle was owing the fetting on Foot at this Time the unhappy Voyage to Canada: To all which Meetings Harley avoided coming, and gave Lord Rochester his Reasons, and after he defir'd his Lordhip to be a Means to the Queen to hinder that Expedition; but it happen'd to be too late. But Lady Maffam knows how much Harley was concern'd at it, tho' he did not know the true Spring of that Voyage, which will appear after in this Paper.

The Beginning of February, 1710-11, there began to be a Divifion amongst thofe call'd Tories in the House, and Mr. Secretary St. John thought it convenient to be lifting a feparate Party for himfelf. To prevent this, Lord Rochester and Harley defir'd to have a Meeting, and to cool fuch rafh Attempts; and it was contriv'd Mr. Secretary St. John' fhould invite us to Dinner, (which was the laft Time he ever invited Robert Harley, being now above three Years) where was Duke of Shrewsbury, Earl Poulet, Lord Rochester, and others; and Lord Rochester took the Pains to calm the Spirit of Divifion and Ambition.

Harley was at this Time feiz'd by a violent Fever, and ' on his first coming Abroad, March 8, met with a Misfortune which confin'd him many Weeks. The Tranfactions during that Time are too publick, as well as too black, for Harley to remember or to mention.

In the End of May 1711, the Queen, out of her abounded Goodness, was pleas'd to confer undeferv'd Honours on Robert Harley; and on the 29th of the fame' Month, was pleas'd to put the Treasurer's Staff into his Hands: A Poft fo much above Harley's Abilities to struggle with, that he had nothing but Integrity and Duty to recommend him to her Majefty's Choice; fo he must have Recourse to her Majesty's tranfcendent Goodness and Mercy