The me

a Gentlemen,

I

Return you my hearty thanks for the ready affurances To give me of providing immediate fuccours for the Sauces-general, and for the zeal you exprefs for the comta de Ibow nothing, that can be more effectual for a Lippert boc at home and abroad than the unaniIDIS CONCTITAN, which you have shewed upon this oc- szion Autt will be a particular fatisfaction to me, in none, to revive the glory, which the English nation has her had, of maintaining the liberty and balance of Erope. = P

The k-zkewife communicated the letter from the Statesmer to the houfe of lords, who, on that occafion, meantza time addrefs on the 14th of May:

W

E your majefty's most dutiful and loyal subject the lords fpiritual and temporal in parliament aftered, return your majefty our most humble thanks, for communicating to us the letter from the States-general to your majefty. It gives us an opportunity (with great ansfaction) to repeat to your majefty the affurances or our ← dety, and zeal for your fervice. And we take this accafon further to affure your majefty, we are very fenicle of the great and imminent danger, to which the States-reneral are at prefent expofed.. And we do perfectly with them in believing, that their fafety and ours are u neparably united, that whatfoever is ruin to the one mi be Satal to the other. And we humbly deurs vnur majefty wal be pleased, not only to make good all the ancies of

y former treaty to the States-general, but that wou will enter into a ftrict league offenfive and acteniva v tem, four common prefervation; and that wou wil Lavite

it all princes and ftates, war ar comernes in the ent vifible danger, aring from memoir France and Spain. And we further dels nur majetky, that you be pleased to enter in just allanes in the empeas your majefty fill min x, mutta the ends of

of ideal Tomada vinch, we mure your marcity of our hearts an invece, or doubting Whenever YOU: H.2**** ALI AI engage for Safe earing the liberty and

F

my Sou vill pract your facred

at the unanimity,

as vill carry your ma

“ jesty,

"jesty, with honour and success, through all the difficulties Will. III. "of a juft war. And in the laft place, with great grief, we 1700-1. "take leave humbly to represent to your majefty, that the

"dangers to which your kingdoms and your allies have been

"

"

exposed, are chiefly owing to the fatal counfels, that pre"vented your majefty's fooner meeting your people in par"liament."

To this the king returned the following answer:

I

My Lords,

answer.

Thank you for the expreffions you make of your duty The king's and zeal to my service, and the concern you fhew for "the imminent danger to which the States-general are at "prefent exposed. I fhall take into confideration your de"fires to me, of entering into new measures with them and "other princes and ftates, for our common prefervation. "And you may be fure, it shall be always my care to make "fuch alliances with our neighbours, as may tend to our "own and their greatest security; which will be the most " effectual means to raise the honour of the English nation, "in our days, to the reputation it hath maintained in any "former times."

Will. III. 1700-1.

The old mi

neftry im

peached. Baract

CHAP. II.

The old Miniftry impeached-Proceedings thereon-They are acquitted-Remarks on the Proceedings-The Kentish Petition-Misunderstanding berwer the two Houfes-The Parliament is prorogued-The Earl of Marlborough made General of the Army cd-The King's Speech to the States-A Memoriam France -The answer-Treaty with Denmark-Prince Eugene marches into Italy-Several Negotia ims-Affairs of Ireland-Death of K. James-Has Character-His Son proclaimed by France-The Man at-The English inflamed-A new Parliament-Care of Affairs laid before the Commons-The Primar atteintedAt of Abjuration-All for War-The King's projects -Affairs in Ireland—The King's Lofran Union with Scotland--The King's and Fall from bis Herfe-His Death and Char ar

TH

HE defign of impeaching the former miniftry was now beginning to be exarum The handle for bringing it about was given the art of Portland. When he was excuting his own pat ir tu parctica treaty, he said, That having withdrawn nimiet om business, and being at his country-boule in Bollant, me any sent for him, defiring him to enter upon that negaratum. Upon this, he wrote to fecretary Vernon, to us he arce, and the advice of his other friends, whether a wait ur am to meddle in that mamen ince his being a tett i egner feemed a just exCLA for not engaging it at star a uc confequence. To the the decret anver the al is friends thought he WAS 2 YES” FODS Dera u kampieved in that treaty, fince be bac known, the ruges a al cole treaties, and the perals who were embora z Dat occafion; and he named melere Sames among none who had advited this. The o Portal live, nutusen mis circumftance, which did po dang tre at varecen zeity, but to that of the year a ce ductoral prince of Bavaria. The

house

houfe of commons hearing of this, required fecretary Ver- Will. III. non to lay before them that letter, with his answer to it; for 1700-1. the earl of Portland faid, that he had left all papers relating to that matter in Holland. The fecretary said, he had received no fuch letter in the year 1699; but that led them to ,inquire farther, and they required him to lay before them all the letters he had, relating to both the treaties of partition. He answered, that thofe were the king's fecrets, writ in confidence by the perfons whom he employed. But as in fuch a cafe a house of commons will not be put off, and a denial rather raises in them more earneftness in following their point; it was replied, that the king had dispensed with the oath of fecrecy, when he ordered all matters to be laid before them; and they would admit of no excufe. The fecretary upon this went to the king, and told him, fince thefe were his fecrets, he was ready to expose himself to the indignation of the house, and to refufe to fhew his letters. But the king answered, that his refufing to do it would not only raife a ftorm against himself, from which he could not protect him, but likewife occafion an addrefs to the king, to order him to lay every thing before the house, which, in the ftate that things were in then, he could not deny. The fecretary, upon these orders given him at two different times, carried all the letters, and laid them before the house of Commons. It appeared by thefe, that he had communicated the treaty to the king's minifters, who were in town, about the end of Auguft 1698: That lord Sommers being then at Tunbridge, he went to him; and that he had communicated the project both to the earl of Orford and lord Hallifax. Several objections were made by them to many parts of the treaty, which were mentioned in the fecretary's letters; but, if better terms could not be had, they thought it was more eligible, to conclude the treaty, than to leave the Spanish monarchy to be over-run by France, or to involve Europe in a new war. Lord Sommers had alfo put the great feal to blank powers for concluding this treaty. When all this was read, those who were fet on to blow up the flame, moved the houfe to impeach fome of the minifters, who had been concerned in this tranfaction; yet in this they proceeded with fo vifible a partiality, that though the earl of Jerfey had figned the treaty, and had been ambaflador in France, and fecretary of state while the partition treaty was negotiating; yet he, having joined himself to the new miniftry, was not queftioned about it. The party faid, that he had been too

eafily

Will.III. eafily drawn into it, but that he was not in the fecret, and 1700-1. had no fhare in the councils that projected it.

The earl of

and imaced.

On the first of April the house of commons refolved, That William, earl of Portland, by negotiating and concluding the treaty of partition, (which was destructive to the trade of this kingdom, and dangerous to the peace of Europe) is guilty, and fhall be impeached, of high crimes and mifdemeanours.' And they ordered Sir John Levison Gower to go up to the lords, and at their bar to impeach the earl, and to acquaint their lordships, that they will in due time exhibit particular articles against him. They then appointed a committee to draw up articles of impeachment (d); and defired a conference with the lords, at which the commons delivered this paper to the lords :

"It appearing by your lordships journal, that your lord"fhips have received information of fome tranfactions be "tween the earl of Portland and Mr. fecretary Vernon, "relating to the partition of the Spanish monarchy; the "commons, having the faid matter under their confidera❝tion, defire your lordships will be pleased to communicate "to the commons what informations your lordfhips have

had of any tranfactions relating to any negotiations or "treaties of partition of the Spanish monarchy, by letter or "otherwife. And the commons are fully affured, that your "lordship will readily concur in affifting them in this in"quiry, which they conceive abfolutely neceffary for the

(d) The committee were as Sir William Coryton,