many prisoners, with all their artillery and baggage, and fo Will. III. chofen On the 6th of February the parliament met, but was pro- Mr. Harley rogued to the 10th, when the commons were directed by speaker. the king to chufe a fpeaker. Sir Thomas Littleton had been Cole, p. 303. fent for by the king, who told him, that he thought it would be for his fervice, that he fhould give way at that time to Mr. Harley's being chofen into that office: which Sir Thomas acquiefced in, and accordingly abfented himself from the house on the day of election: when Mr. Harley, being the first perfon proposed for speaker, and afterwards Sir Richard Onflow named by others, the former had two hundred and forty-nine votes for him, against one hundred and twenty-five in the negative. The next day, the king made the following fppeech to both houses: "My Lords and Gentlemen, Pr. H. C. III. 127. UR great misfortune, in the lofs of the duke of The king's Gloucefter, has made it abfolutely neceffary, that fpeech to his fifth parlia "there should be a further provifion for the fucceffion to the ment. "crown in the Proteftant line, after me, and the princefs. "The happiness of the nation, and the fecurity of our religion, which is our chiefeft concern, feems fo much to "depend upon this, that I cannot doubt but it will meet with a general concurrence; and I earnestly recommend "it to your early and effectual confideration. "The death of the late king of Spain, with the decla"ration of his fucceffor to that monarchy, has made fo "great an alteration in the affairs abroad, that I must de"fire you very maturely to confider their prefent state; and "I make no doubt, but your refolution thereupon will be fuch, as fhall be moft conducing to the intereft and fafety "of England, the prefervation of the Proteftant religion in general, and the peace of all Europe. "These things are of fuch weight, that I have thought "them moft proper for the confideration of a new parlia"ment, to have the more immediate fenfe of the kingdom "in fo great a conjuncture. " I ' Will. III. "I muft defire of you, Gentlemen of the house of com1700-1. mons, fuch fupplies, as you fhall judge neceffary for the "fervice of the current year; and I muft particularly put you A party for France in the parlia ment. Burnet. in mind of the deficiencies and public debts, occafioned "by the late war, that are yet unprovided for. "I am obliged farther to recommend to you, that you, "would inspect the condition of the fleet, and confider what "repairs or augmentations may be requifite for the navy, "which is the great bulwark of the English nation, and ❝ought, in this conjuncture most especially, to be put in a "good condition; and that you would alfo confider what is "proper for the better fecurity of those places, where the "fhips are laid up in winter. 66 "The regulation and improvement of our trade is of so "public a concern, that I hope it will ever have your serious "thoughts; and, if you can find proper means of fetting the poor at work, you wil eafe yourselves of a very great bur"den, and at the same time add so many useful hands to be "employed in our manufactures, and other public occa«fions. My Lords and Gentlemen, "I hope there will be fuch an agreement and vigour in "the refolutions you fhall take upon the important matters <c now before you, as may make it appear we are firmly "united among ourfelves; and, in my opinion, nothing 66 can contribute more to our fafety at home, or for our be"ing confiderable abroad." As foon as the parliament was opened, it appeared, that the French had a great party in it. It is certain, great fums came over this winter from France; the packet-boat came feldom without ten thousand Louis d'Ors; it often brought more. The nation was filled with them, and in fix months time a million of guineas were coined out of them. The merchants indeed faid, that the balance of trade was then fo much turned to our fide, that, whereas we used to carry over a million of our money in fpecie, we then fent no money to France, and had at least half that fum fent over to balance the trade. Yet this did not account for that vast flood of French gold, that was visible in the nation. And, upon the departure of monfieur de Tallard, the French ambaffador, whofe place was fupplied by monfieur Pouffin, with the character only of fecretary, a very visible alteration was found in the bills of exchange. For which reafon it was con concluded, that great remittances had been made to that am- Will. III. baffador, and that thefe were diftributed among thofe, who 1700-1. refolved to merit a fhare in that wealth, which came over fo copiously beyond the example of former times. elections. Upon the view of the house it appeared evidently, that the Partiality in Tories were a great majority; yet they, to make the matter judging fure, refolved to clear the houfe of a great many, who were engaged in another intereft. Reports were brought to them of elections, that had been scandalously purchased by fome, who were concerned in the new Eaft-India company. Inftead of drinking and entertainments, by which elections were formerly managed, now a moft fcandalous practice was brought in of buying votes, with fo little decency, that the electors engaged themfelves by fubfcriptions to chufe a blank perfon, before they were truffed with the name of their candidate. The old Eaft-India company had driven a course of corruption within doors with fo little fhame, that the new company intended to follow their example, but with this difference, that, whereas the former had bought the perfons, who were elected, they refolved to buy elections. Sir Edward Seymour, who had dealt in this corruption his whole life-time, and whom the old company was faid to have bought before at a very high price, brought before the house of commons the difcovery of fome of the practices of the new company. The, examining of thefe took up many days. In conclufion the matter was fo well proved, that feveral elections were declared void; and fome of the perfons so chofen were for fome time kept in prifon, after they had been expelled the house. In thefe proceedings great partiality appeared; for, when in fome cafes corruption was proved clearly against fome of the Tory party, and but doubtfully againft fome of the contrary fide, that, which was voted corruption in the Whigs, was called the giving alms in the Tories. to own the A defign was laid in the house of commons, to open the A defign laid feffions with an address to the king, that he would own the for an addrefs king of Spain. The matter was fo far concerted that they king of had agreed on the words of the vote, and feemed not to Spain. doubt of the concurrence of the houfe. But Mr. Monkton Burnet. oppofed it with great heat, and among other things faid, that, if this vote was carried, he fhould expect, that the next vote would be for owning the pretended prince of Wales. Upon this occafion it appeared, how much popular aflemblies are apt to be turned by a thing boldly faid, though the confequence is ever fo remote; fince the connexion of these two Will. III. points lay at fome diftance: for the iffue of the debate was 1700-1. quite contrary to that, which was defigned, and the addrefs was laid afide. An addrefs of the com port the king. On the 14th, upon reading the king's fpeech, the confideration of it was adjourned till the next day; but in the mean mons to fup- time the house came to this refolution, "That they would "ftand by and fupport his majesty and his government, and "take fuch effectual measures, as may beft conduce to the "interest and safety of England, and the prefervation of the "Proteftant religion." This refolution was presented to the king by the whole house, on the 17th of February, to which he gave them this answer: The king's The memo municated to the com mons. Cole, P. 320. "I thank you for this address, and your ready concurrence "to those great ends therein mentioned, which I take to "be extremely important to the honour and safety of Eng"land; and I affure you, I fhall never propofe any thing, "but what is for our common advantage and fecurity. Ha"ving this occafion, I think it proper to acquaint you, that "yesterday I received a memorial from the envoy extraor dinary of the States-general, a tranflation whereof I leave "with you. As to the first part of it, I think it neceffary "to ask your advice; and as to the latter part, I defire your "affiftance." In this memorial, mentioned by the king, the Statesrial of the general acquainted his majesty, "That they having confiDutch com- &dered, that their delay of owning the duke of Anjou for "king of Spain was fubject to malicious interpretations, as "if their aim had been only to gain time to put themselves "in a warlike pofture, they thought themselves obliged to " acknowledge the duke of Anjou without any condition, "referving to themfelves to ftipulate, in the negotiation "ready to begin, the neceffary conditions to fecure the peace "of Europe; in which negotiation they are firmly refolved "to do nothing without the consent of his majefty and the "other powers interested in the maintenance of the peace, as "they have exprefsly declared to the ambaffador of France. "That therefore thy prayed him to fend to his minifter at "the Hague, neceffary inftructions and orders to act conjointly in this negotiation, and that nothing be concluded but wherein England and Holland may equally find their "fecurity, and which at the fame time may tend to ftrengthen "the public tranquility. But as it may happen not to be "poffible to agree with France and Spain on reasonable conditions, and that, the negotiation being interrupted, they may "may be fuddenly attacked by the numerous troops, which Will. III. "France has ordered to move towards the frontiers, their 1700-1. "envoy is to represent to his majefty the urgent neceffity "they fhould have, in fo great a danger, of the affiftance "of England, and to defire him to get the fuccours, ftipu"lated by the treaty, in readinefs, that they may rely on "them, if occafion required." The next day, this memorial was communicated to the houfe of lords. And the commons, upon report of the king's answer to their addrefs, refolved, "That an humble addrefs "be made to his majefty by fuch members, as are of his "privy-council, that he will please to cause the treaty be"tween England and the States-general of the 3d of March "1677, and all the renewals thereof fince that time, to be "laid before the houfe." Which being done by Mr. fecretary Hedges; the houfe refolved, "That an humble address "be made to his majefty, that he will please to enter into "fuch negotiations, in concert with the States-general of "the United-Provinces, and other potentates, as may most "effectually conduce to the mutual fafety of these kingdoms, "and the States-general, and the prefervation of the peace "of Europe; and giving him affurances of support and affiftance, in performance of the treaty made with the States"general the 3d of March 1677." '' It is obferved, that the defiring the king in this address to enter into new alliances with the States for our mutual defence, and for the prefervation of the peace of Europe, was not carried without much difficulty; thofe words being confidered, as indeed they were, an infinuation towards a war. The addrefs was prefented, the day following, by the whole house, when the king made them this anfwer: "Gentle"men, I thank you heartily for the advice you have given me, your unanimous refolution to fupport and affift me " in making good the treaty mentioned in your addrefs; and "I will immediately order my ministers abroad to enter into "negotiations in concert with the States-general and other "potentates, for the attaining of thofe great ends, which you defire. Nothing can more effectually conduce to our "fecurity, than the unanimity and vigour you have fhewn on this occafion. And I fhall always endeavour, on my "part, to preferve and increase this mutual trust and confi"dence between us." On the 17th of February, Mr. fecretary Vernon commu- The earl of nicated to the commons by his majefty's order a letter, which VOL. XV. F Melfort s letter to the came earl of Perth. |