moving all South-Sea directors from any place they had in Geo. I. the government (e). The lords, on the 24th of January, examined Mr. Joye, deputy-governor of the South Sea company, who made a very frank confeffion of feveral important matters, and communicated Mr. Knight's letter, which was read. After this, upon earl Stanhope's motion, five directors, Sir William Chapman, Mr. Holditch, Mr. Hawes, Mr. Gibbon, and Mr. Chefter, were ordered to be taken into cuftody, with their papers, and thofe of Mr. Clark, the company's follicitor. Of which notice was fent to the commons with a meffage, that these perfons and their papers fhould be produced in such a manner as they should direct. This meffage contributed very much to the preferving a good understanding between the two houses. Two days after, the directors, Mr. Aftell and Sir Harcourt Mafters, were examined by the lords, and, among other discoveries, named feveral perfons both in the admini-. stration and in the house of commons, to whom large fums in South-Sea ftock had been given, for procuring the paffing the South-Sea act. After this, upon the motion of earl Stanhope, feconded by the lord Townshend and earl Cowper, it was unanimoufly refolved, That the taking in of stock, the transferring of ftock belonging to the South-Sea company, or giving credit for the fame, without a valuable cônfideration actually paid, or fufficiently fecured; or the purchafing flock by any director or agent of the South-Sea com-. pany, for the use or benefit of any perfon in the adminiftration, or any member of either houfe of parliament, during fuch time as the late bill relating to the South-Sea company was depending laft year in parliament, was a notorious and moft dangerous corruption. This refolution was foon followed by another, after the examination of Mr. Waller (fonin-law to Mr. Aiflabie) and Mr. Aftell, relating to a great quantity of South-Sea ftock, transferred to, and negotiated by Mr. Waller, who pretended not to have kept minutes of what he had done in Exchange-Alley. This being looked upon as prevarication, it was refolved, That the directors of the South-Sea company having ordered great quantities of (e) Accordingly, Francis Hawes, receiver-general of the cuftoms; Sir Harcourt Mafters, receiver-general of the city of London; Mr. Reynolds, commiffioner of the victualling-of fice; Mr. Holditch, treasurer Bb 4 their 1720-21. Geo. I. their stock to be bought for the fervice of the company, when 1720-21. ftock was at a very high price, and on pretence of keeping up the price of the stock; and, at the fame time, feveral of the directors, and other officers belonging to the company, having, in a clandeftine manner, fold their own ftocks to the company; fuch directors and officers are guilty of a notorious fraud and breach of trust; and their fo doing was one great cause of the unhappy turn of affairs, that has fo much affected public credit (f). On the 4th of February, the lords defigned to have examined Sir John Blunt, the chief projector of the South-Sea fcheme, and it was expected he would make great difcoveries: But, inftead of that, he would not so much as be fworn to answer to fuch interrogatories as fhould be put to him, alledging, that he had already been examined before the fecret committee of the houfe of commons, and to fuch extent of affairs, that, unless he had a copy of his examination, he could not remember every particular; and, as no man is obliged to accuse himself, he would not run the hazard of prevaricating. The lords were furprised at this proceeding; but, upon a furmife, that Sir John Blunt might defign to break the harmony, which had hitherto been preferved in this affair between the two houses, they thought fit not to fhew immediately their indignation against his obftinacy. In the debate how they should proceed in this unprecedented cafe, fome reflections were made against the miniftry by a noble duke, who obferved, that the government (f) Three days after, Mr. Hawes, a director, having been examined with fome brokers, the lords came to the following refolutions: 1. That the directors, &c. buying the Midfummer dividend about the fourth of January 1719-20, and paying 5 s. down and 3 1. after the receipt of the dividend, was a fraud to the perfons with whom they contracted. 2. That the giving a premium, for the refufal of flock, at higher prices than they knew the value was, was a fraudulent artifice to raise the price of Rock, 3. That promoting the third fubfcription at 1000 per cent. was to anfwer a particular end, and to cheat the public. 4. That the declaring 301. per cent dividend for the half year ending at Christmas, and 501. per cent. per annum for no. lefs than twelve years after, was a villainous artifice tadelude and defraud his majefty's good fubjects. 5. That the declaring the Midfummer dividend to be paid in stock, when they had money by them to answer the fame, was a notorious fraud, and was one occafion of the misfortunes that enfued. of earl Stan of the best of princes was fometimes made intolerable to their Geo. I. fubjects by ill minifters; and alledged the example of Sejanus, 1720-21. who had made a divifion in the imperial family, and rendered the reign of the emperor Claudius odious to the Romans. This reflection was highly refented by earl Stanhope, who undertook to vindicate the miniftry. He spoke with fuch Death of vehemence, that, finding himself taken fuddenly with a viohope, lent head-ach, he went home, and was cupped, which eafed him a little. The next morning he was let blood, and continued pretty well till about fix o'clock in the evening, when he fell into a drowziness, and then into a fuffocation, in which he instantly expired. The king was fo fenfibly touched with the news of his death, that he retired for feveral hours into his clofet, to lament the lofs of a faithful and able minifter, whofe fervice he fo much wanted at that time. The lord Townshend was appointed fecretary of state in his room. Craggs. Two days after, Mr. fecretary Craggs was taken ill of the and of Mr. fmall-pox, of which he died the ninth day, on the 16th of fecretary February. Thus, in the space of eleven days, England loft two fecretaries of state. about Mr Mr. Knight, after his escape into France, went to Bruf- Proceedings fels, from whence (not thinking himself fafe there) he in- Knight. tended to retire to Liege. As the king had fent orders to his minifters in foreign courts, to make application for the seizing Mr. Knight, in cafe he fhould fhelter himself in the dominions of any state in alliance with him, Mr. Gaudot, fecretary to Mr. Leathes, the British refident at Bruffels, having information that Mr. Knight was going towards Louyain, applied to the marquifs de Prié, governor of the Auftrian Netherlands, who ordered a major and fixteen dragoons to attend him, and follow his directions. With these Gaudot fets out for Louvain, where he was informed, that two English gentlemen had, that morning, taken the road to Tirlemont. Upon this, Gaudot, with the major and four dragoons, hafted to Tirlemont, and, by means of a poftillion fent before to make inquiry, they put up at the fame inn where the gentlemen had flopped. Gaudot, entering the inn, met Mr. Knight and his companion, who inftantly yielded themselves prisoners. Soon after Mr. Knight's fon, who had followed his father from Brussels, árrived at Tirlemont, and was alfo feized. They were all carried back to Bruffels, and, by a warrant from the marquifs de Prié, the major conducted Mr. Knight to the citadel of Antwerp, where he was kept in fafe cuflody by an officer who Geo. I. who lay in the room with him, and four centinels without 1720-21. the house, and as many within, and was not allowed the ufe of pen, ink, and paper. His fon went with him to the ci tadel Great was the joy at the news of Mr. Knight's being in cuftody. Addreffes were prefented by both houfes to thank the king for giving fuch effectual directions for fecuring Mr. Knight, and to defire that orders might be given to his minifters at Vienna and Bruffels, to make proper applications that Mr. Knight, with his papers and effects, might be delivered to fuch perfons as fhould be appointed to receive him. Pursuant to thefe addreffes, the king fent colonel Charles Churchill to the court of Vienna, to make inftances for the delivering up Mr. Knight; who, on the other hand, made application to the states of Brabant, for the protection of their conftitution. By an article of the charter, called the Joyful Entry (granted by the emperor Charles V. and fworn to by all his fucceffors) no perfon charged with, or apprehended for any crime, can be removed to be tried out of Brabant. When therefore Mr. Leathes made preffing inftances with the marquifs de Prié to have Mr. Knight delivered up, the states of Brabant infifted upon their privileges, and the marquifs would proceed no farther in the affair, without particular inftructions from Vienna; for which purpofe, colonel Charles Churchill was fent to that court. In the beginning of March, the colonel fent word, that he was juft arrived at Vienna, and would immediately apply to the Imperial court, for the delivering up Mr. Knight, and did not doubt of fuccefs, unlefs the privileges of the ftates of Brabant interfered. This letter being communicated to the houfe of commons, reflections were made (particularly by the lord Molesworth) upon the frivolous pretence, ufed to fruftrate the king's en deavours to bring over Mr. Knight. But the houfe came to no refolution in the affair. About three weeks after, a letter from the emperor to the king was laid before the commons, wherein the emperor expreffes his inclination to comply with his majefty's defires, but, the ftates of Brabant infifting on their privileges, it would be necessary to make application to them, which he would not fail to fupport. In a debate on account of this letter, Mr. Hutchinfon reprefented, How much, on the one hand, the public was concerned in having the authors of the prefent diftrefs fully difcovered, and brought to condign punishment; and how impracticable it was, on the other, to proceed in that important inquiry, fo long as the principal agent of the South-Sea directors, and their accomplices, was kept out of the way; that, in the Geo. I. mean time, the public calamity increafing every day, the 1720.21. nation called aloud for juftice; and therefore, if the means already ufed for bringing over Mr. Knight proved abortive, it were advifeable to have recourfe to more fpeedy and effectual methods." Sir Jofeph Jekyll alto fhewed, That it was incumbent on fome pe: fons in the adminiftration to have Mr. Knight brought over, in order fully to clear their own innocence, otherwife, though acquitted, they would ftill be looked upon as criminal: Urging, moreover, that it was matter of wonder, that fo frivolous a pretence, as the privileges of the ftates of Brabant, fhould be used to put a ftop to lo important an inquiry, efpecially confidering how little thofe privileges had been regarded in more material points, and what obligations the houfe of Auftria lay under to the British nation.' On the other hand, Mr. Lechmere reprefented, That, in all probability, the court of Vienna had not fully confidered the importance of the inftances made to them in his majefty's name, and at the defire of the commons of Great Britain: But it was to be prefumed, when so wife a prince as the emperor fhould be apprized, that the welfare and fafety of England depended in fome measure on the delivering up of Mr. Knight, he would readily comply with their defires.' Then Mr. Lechmere moved for an addrefs to thank the king for the inftances he had made, by a letter under his own hand to the emperor about Mr. Knight, to exprefs their diffatisfaction at the obstacles raifed against. a compliance with his endeavours, and to defife his most preffing inftances for the obtaining what was thought of fuch importance to the juftice due to his people. This addrefs was agreed to and prefented to the king, who affured them he would continue to ufe his utmost endeavours for obtaining what they defired, and hoped they would prove effectual. But, notwithstanding all this, before the emperor had fent any inftructions to the marquifs de Prié, Mr. Knight found means to make his efcape out of the citadel of Antwerp. committee. The committee of fecrecy, appointed to look into all the Proceedings proceedings relating to the execution of the South-Sea act, of the fecret made their first report to the house of commons the 16th of February, the day Mr. fecretary Craggs died. At the entrance into their inquiry, they obferved, the matters referred to them were of great variety and extent. Many perfons were intrusted with different parts in the execution of that act, and, in an unwarrantable manner, difpofed of the properties of |