Geo. I. eftates till fold. This bill was attended with warm debates 1717-18. in both houses, which, though they did not obstruct its paffage, remain there; and grant to every such party a figned certi. ficate for the fame, therein fpecifying the name of the regiment, troop, or company fuch officers or foldiers do belong to, under pain of being cashiered for it, upon proof of having wilfully offended herein. XXXI. On inarches, the commanding officers are to apply to the proper magiftrates for the carriages neceffary for the fervice, and to pay for them according to the act of parliament in that behalf, taking care not to abufe, nor to fuffer any under their command, to beat or abuse the waggoners, or other perfons attending fuch carriages, nor to put more than twenty hundred weight on any wayne or waggon fo furnished to them by the country. And whatever officer fhall be convicted of offending herein, or of refufing to grant certificates in cafe of failure of money, as in the preceding article, fhall, by the judgment of a general court-martial, be cashiered, or otherwife punished, according to the degree of his offence. XXXII. All officers commanding in garrifons, in quarters, or on marches, fhall keep good order, and reduce all fuch abufes or diforders as may happen to be committed by any of ficer or foldier under their command: And if on complaint made to any fuch commanding officer, of beating of landlords, or extorting of more from them than they are obliged by law to furnish; of foldiers disturbing of fairs or markets, or committing of any other kind of riots, to the disturbing or difquieting our people; he, the faid commander, who fhall refufe or omit to fee juftice done on the offender, and reparation made to the party injured, fo far as part of the offender's pay can enable him, he fhall, upon proof thereof, be punished by a general courtmartial, as if he himself had perfonally committed the crimes or diforders complained of. XXXVII. If any officer shall protect any perfon from his creditors, otherwife than is allowed by the prefent act of parliament; or any one who does not actually ferve in the ranks, and confequently do all the duties of a foldier, (according to the true. intent and meaning of the faid aft) he shall be cashiered for it. XLIV. In cafe any officer, non-commiffion officer or foldier, be accused of any violence or offence against the perfon, eftate, or property of any of our subjects, punishable by any of our civil courts or magiftrates, the officer, to whom fuch accufation is brought, fhall not proceed to the trial of fuch offender or offenders by a court-martial, within the space of eight days, unless at the defire of the perfon or perfons injured; and in cafe no application be made to the commanding officer in quarters, during the space of eight days, by the perfon or perfons injured, the offender or of fage, produced fome very equitable claufes. The time of Geo. I. claiming was prolonged, and twenty thousand pounds fter- 1717-18. ling were referved, out of the fale of the eftates in Scotland, for erecting schools, and eight thoufand for building barracks (a). offenders may be tried by a court martial for any offence mentioned in thefe articles; provided that, within the space of the faid eight days, the perfon injured hath not proceeded to the profecution of fuch of fender before a civil court or magistrate, and notice given thereof to the officer, commanding in the quarters where fuch offence fhall be committed. XLV. These our rules and articles are to be obferved by, and do in all respects regard our troops and regiments of horfe and foot guards, as well as our other forces. XLVI. The foregoing rules and articles fhall be read and published at the head of every regiment, troop, and company, mustered or to be mustered in our fervice, once every two months at fartheft, and are to be duly obferved by all officers and foldiers in our fervice; and alfo by our companies of gunners, and other military officers of our trains of artillery, with fuch alterations only as relate to the payment of foldiers quarters and carriages, which in the kingdom of Ireland are to be regulated by the lord lieutenant thereof, and in our islands, provinces, and garrisons beyond the feas, by the refpective governors of the fame, according as the nature of the thing fhall require: And notwithstanding it is expreffed in the 16th article of Before thefe our rules and orders, that every commanding officer is required to deliver up to the civil magistrate all fuch persons (under his command) as fhall be accufed of any crimes which are punishable by the known laws of the land; yet in our garrison of Gibraltar, island of Minorca, forts of Placentia and Annapolis Royal, where our forces now are, or in any other place beyond the feas, to which any of our troops may hereafter be commanded, and where there is no form of our civil judicature in force, the governors or commanders refpectively are to ap-. point general court-martial to be held, who are to punish criminals by their fentence, as has been practifed heretofore, and authorised by former articles of war. (a) There was alfo a debate in the houfe of commons about the trade with Sweden, which had been interrupted by a proclamation. The merchants having prefented a petition for opening the trade, Mr. Jackson (late refident at Stockholm) was called in and afked by Mr. Craggs, whether he was of opinion, That, if the trade were opened with Sweden, our merchants would be upon a better foot than they are at prefent? Mr. Jack fon anfwered, That, in his opinion, the contrary would happen: For now that the Swedes are distreffed for Geo. I. Before the feffion ended, the king fent a meffage to the 1717-18. commons, which was read by the speaker, as follows: The king's meffage to the comwant of our commodities, partimons. cularly corn and falt, they are Pr. H. C. inclined to facilitate to us, underhand, the purchase of their iron; whereas, if the prohibition of trade with them was taken off, they would immediately provide themfelves with what they want; and, knowing at the fame time, that there are amongit us a fet of men, who make it their study and business to embarrass the government, the court of Sweden would be more stiff than ever, and render the purchase of their iron more difficult to us. Some members of the house being offended at Mr. Jackfon's reflection on a fet of men (by which it was plain he meant the Tory-party) cried out, Cuftody, Cuftody: But the more moderate contented them felves with putting him upon explaining himself. Hereupon Mr. Jackfon replied, That he meant the merchants, who prefented unreasonable petitions. This being by fome looked upon rather as an aggravation than an excufe, the cry of Cuftody, Cuftody, was repeated; but Mr. Walpole brought him off, by fuggetting, That that gentleman had lived fo long in a defpotic government, where petitions and reprefentations of that nature are accounted capital crimes, that he had forgot the rights and pri vileges of his countrymen; and therefore moved, that his unguarded expresions might be excufed; and, nobody oppoing Mr Walpole, Mr. Jackfon • His withdrew. Then, the petitioners and fome other merchants being called in, and farther heard, they reprefented, among other particulars, 'That, fince the prohibition of trade with Sweden, they bought Swedish iron of the Dutch, 41. per ton dearer than before; and that, whereas the English were formerly about 30,000l. per annum gainers by the trade with Sweden, they now lost about 90,000l.' But this was contradicted by Mr. Craggs, who sug gefted, That the exports from Stockholm for England had never amounted to 120,000l. in one year; and therefore the difference of the profit and lofs could not come up to this laft fum. After fome other fpeeches, the debate was adjourned till that day month, before which the feffion ended. There was another debate about a bill for erecting Hofpitals and Workhouses in Bristol, in which there was a remarkable claufe, abrogating the Sacramental Teft in the cafe of the guardianship of the charities. However, the bill passed with the claufe. A bill, directing that St. Giles's church fhould be rebuilt, instead of one of the fifty new churches, occafioned a debate in the houfe of lords, and was oppofed by fome of the bishops, as a mifapplication of the money granted for pious ufes. They alfo propofed that the words of Pious Memory fhould be added in the preamble after the queen's names His majefty being at prefent engaged in feveral negotia- Geo. I. tions of the utmoft concern to the welfare of thefe kingdoms, 1717-18. and the tranquillity of Europe; and having lately received information from abroad, which makes him judge that it will give weight to his endeavours, if a naval force be employed where it shall be necessary, does think fit to acquaint this houfe therewith; not doubting, but that, in cafe he fhould be obliged, at this critical juncture, to exceed the number of men granted this year for the fea-fervice, the house will, at their next meeting, provide for fuch exceeding.' This meffage was well received, and it was unanimously refolved to present an addrefs to the king for his unwearied endeavours to promote the welfare of his kingdoms, and to preferve the tranquillity of Europe; and to affure him, that they would make good fuch exceedings of feamen, as he fhould find neceffary to obtain thofe ends. On the 21ft of March, the bufinefs of the feffion being over, the king went to the house of peers, and, having paffed all the bills, ordered the lord chancellor to read the following fpeech to both houses: 66 I "My lords and gentlemen, Cannot put an end to this feffion, without returning my hearty thanks to fo good a parliament, for the "dispatch which has been given to the public bufinefs. You " will, I hope, in your private capacities, feel the conve"nience of an early recefs; and, I am perfuaded, the pub"lic will receive great benefit, by the seasonable zeal and "vigour of your refolutions in fupport of my govern ❝ment. "Nothing can add fo much to the credit and influence of "this crown, both at home and abroad, as the repeated in"ftances of your affection to me. This steadiness and re"folution of yours will, I hope, inable me to procure, "against your next meeting, fuch treaties to be concluded, "as will fettle peace and tranquillity among our neigh"bours. "If, through the bleffing of God, my endeavours to this "end prove fuccefsful, I fhall have the fatisfaction to filence. ❝even thofe, who will never own themselves convinced; name; but the bill paffed with- by five bifhops and feveral "and Geo. I. and to let all the world fee plainly, that what I have most 1718. at heart, is the good and welfare of my people, who may "then be cafed in their taxes, and enriched by their trade. Changes in "Gentlemen of the houfe of commons, "I must return you my particular thanks for the supplies "your have fo chearfully granted, and for the late inftance "of your confidence in me. I promise you, that my endea"vours fhall not be wanting to make use of both to the best advantage, for the good of my people. "My lords and gentlemen, "The practices which are daily used by a moft restless "and unhappy fet of men, to disturb a government, by "whofe clemency they are protected, require our utmost "attention and vigilance. I must therefore recommend it to 66 you, that, in your feveral ftations and countries, you will "endeavour to quell that fpirit of difaffection, which our "common enemies are so induftrious to foment." Then the lord chancellor prorogued the parliament to the 20th of May; and afterwards, by feveral prorogations, to the 11th of November. About this time there were fome changes in the ministry. the ministry. Sir Edward Northey was removed, and Mr. Lechmere was made attorney-general in his room. The earl of Sunderland was made prefident of the council, and first commiffioner of the treasury. The other commiffioners were, Aiflabie, Wallop, Baillie, and Clayton. Mr. Craggs, and the lord Stanhope (who and lord Cadogan were foon after created earls) were appointed fecretaries of ftate. The earl of Berkley was placed at the head of the admiralty, with Sir George. Byng, Sir John Jennings, Mr. Cockburne, Mr. Chetwynd, Sir John Norris, and Sir Charles Wager. The earl of Holderness was made firft commiffioner of the board of trade. In April, the lord chancellor Cowper (who had been made an earl) refigned the great feal, and went immediately into the country. Though it had been reported fome months that he defired to retire, yet his refigning his employment at that juncture, was a great furprife to the public, and no fmall grief to all unprejudiced perfons. The judges Tracy, Pratt, and Mountague, were made commiffioners of the great feal; but, about a month after, the lord Parker was made high chancellor, and Sir John Pratt chief-juftice. The |