ENGLAND;

From the REVOLUTION to the Present Times.

By N. TIND A L, M. A.

Rector of ALVERSTOKE, in HAMPSHIRE, and Chaplain of the Royal Hospital at GREENWICH.

The FIFTH EDITION, Corrected.

VOL. XIX. VIIth of CONTINUATION.

LONDON:

Printed, by Affignment from Mr. KNAPTON, for T. OSBORNE, H. WOOD FALL, W. STRAHAN, J. RIVINGTON, R. BALDWIN, W. OWEN, W. JOHNSTON, J. RICHARDSON, B. LAW, and Com. G. KEITH, T. LONGMAN, T. FIELD, T. CASLON, S. CROWDER, H. WOODGATE, G. KEARSLEY, J.HINXMAN, and C. WARE.

MDCCLXIII.

226. i. 756.

THE

HISTORY

OF

ENGLAN D.

BOOK XXXI.

From the Year 1716 to the Year 1727.

30 GEORGE I

CHAP. I.

The feptennial bill propofed-Death of lord Sommers Rebels tried-Scots officers banged in effigy at Edinburgh-The limitation of the king's asking leave to go abroad repealed-Parliament prorogued-Riots-The prince of Wales made guardian of the realm whilst the king goes abroad-Proceedings in the king's abfenceProgrefs of the prince-Lord Townshend removedState of France and Spain-Treaty with FranceMurmured against-Swedish minifter and baron Gortz

1716. The feptennial bill pro

pofed.

feized-Parliament meets-Scheme of an intended in vafion and rebellion-Debate at Oxford about an addrefs-Debates in parliament-Divifion among the Whigs-Changes in the ministry-A fleet fent to the Baltic-Inquiry about the Dutch forces-Meafures for reducing the public debts-Refolutions about it-The general fund-Alt for the finking fund conftituted.

HE rebellion was now quelled, and the ftrength of the rebels intirely broken, but the difaffection of the people was not yet conquered.

The

. parliament was the bulwark of the crown; the

vigour and unanimity of the king's friends, and their fuperiority in the house, was the fupport of the whole affair. But the parliament being only of three years continuance, by virtue of the Triennial Act, made in the 6th year of king William and queen Mary; all the hopes of the other party feemed to be centered in this, that the parliament would expire; and that they should be able, by their influence in the country, to chufe a majority of their party at the next election; or raife fuch a ferment at that juncture, as might make way for a fuccefsful invasion from abroad. This the perfons at the helm obferved with concern; and therefore refolved to baffle these hopes of the enemies of the government, by prolonging the fitting of the prefent parHament. It is faid, it was firft propofed only to fufpend the Triennial Act for once, whereby this parliament would have continued three years beyond the time, at which it was to determine; but it was afterwards thought, that a bill for enlarging the time of continuance of parliaments in general would be lefs liable to exceptions. The next thing that fell under confideration was, Whether this intended bill should be fet on foot in the house of lords, or in the house of commons? The firft was judged the properer for feveral reafons, particularly, becaufe, the court being more fure of a majority in the house of commons, if the bill miscarried with the lords, the odium of this project, which carried a face of unpopularity, would not reft upon the commons, nor confequently prejudice future elections."

. On the 9th of April in the evening, about thirty of the court lords met at the duke of Devonshire's, where, after a fhort confultation, it was refolved to begin this matter the very next day; and the duke was defired to move it in the houfe of lords. The duke readily complied with the defire

of

of the affembly; and the next day, after the lords had dif- Geo. I. patched fome private bufinefs, the duke ftood up, and made 1716. a fpeech on the inconveniencies that attend triennial elections; fuggefting, in particular, that they keep up party divifions, raise and foment feuds and animofities in private families; occafion ruinous expences; and give occafion to the cabals and intrigues of foreign princes. It therefore became the wifdom of that auguft affembly to apply a proper remedy to an evil, which might be attended with the most dangerous confequences, efpecially in the prefent temper of the nation. For, though the rebellion was happily fuppreffed, yet the fpirit of it remained unconquered, and feemed only to wait for an opportunity to fhew itfelf with more violence. That, the election of a new parliament, which by the triennial act was not far off, being the most favourable juncture, which the difaffected could expect, he thought it abfolutely neceffary to deprive them of it. For which purpose he had a bill to offer to this houfe, for inlarging the con'tinuance of parliaments;' and noved, that the fame might be read. The duke was feconded by the earl of Rockingham, and fupported by the duke of Argyle, the earl of Dorfet, the lord Townshend, and fome other lords. The duke of Bucks, the lord Trevor, the earls of Nottingham and Aylesford, and fome peers of the other fide, did not directly oppose the bill, but made long fpeeches for putting off the reading of it to another time. They owned, that every member has the privilege of offering what bill he thinks fit, without asking leave; but that the house is likewife at liberty either to read it or not, as they think convenient; and that the matter, now offered, was of fo high a nature, that it well deserved to be maturely weighed and confidered before the fame was debated: And therefore they moved, that the bill might lie for fome days on the table. To this it was anfwered, that nothing was farther from their thoughts, than to carry any thing by furprise: That, by the ordinary method of proceeding, every member has fufficient time to weigh and confider what is offered in the houfe; and, to fhew how fairly they intended to act in this affair, the earl of Dorfet propofed, that, after the bill had been once read, the second reading of it should be put off for fome days, and that all the members in and about London should be fuinmoned to attend. The lords of the oppofite fide, finding themselves the weaker, acquiefced in this motion; fo the bill was read the first time, and ordered to be read a fecond on the 14th of April.