Geo. I. of commons being made fenfible of it, Sir John Cope moved 1716. for repealing this reftriction; which being agreed to, a bill paffed both houses for that purpose (d). The parlia- When the king came to the house of peers to pass this, ment is pro- and many other bills, and to put an end to the feffion, the following speech was by his order delivered to both houses by June 26. Pr. H. C. the lord chancellor. rogued, The king's c fpeech. "My lords and gentlemen, I Cannot put an end to this feffion, without expreffing to you my fatisfaction in the proceedings of this par<<liament. The wholesome and neceffary laws, which "have been paffed with fo much steadiness, refolution, and "unanimity, will, I truft in God, anfwer those good ends, "which, it is evident, you have had in view, by defeating "the defigns, and reducing the fpirit of our enemies, by en"couraging our friends, and raifing the credit and reputa"tion of the nation abroad to such a degree, as that I may "reasonably expect the fruits of a fettled government; efpe"cially being fupported by a parliament, zealous for the "profperity of their country, and the Proteftant intereft of «Europe. "I am confident, my conduct hitherto in fuppreffing the rebellion, and punishing those concerned in it, has been "fuch, as demonftrates, that I defire rather to leffen their "numbers by reclaiming them, than by making examples; "but I am forry to find, that the numerous inftances of "mercy, which I have fhewn, have had no other effect, than to encourage the faction of the pretender to renew their infults (d) Before the king went abroad, he made the following creations and promotions: Thomas, lord Coningsby, of the kingdom of Ireland, baron Coningby, of Coningsby, in the County of Lincoln; Sir Richard Onflow, baron Onflow, of Onflow, in the county of Salop; Thomas Newport, baron of Torrington, in the county of Devon; William Cadogan, baron of Reading, in the county of Berks; and Sir Robert Marfham, baron of Romney, in the County of Kent; viscount Castle upon my authority, and the laws of the kingdom, and Geo. I. ❝ even to affect, with the greateft infolence, to diftinguish 1716. "themselves from my good and faithful fubjects, acting "with fuch folly and madness, as if they intended to con"vince the world, that they are not to be reduced to quiet " and submission to my government, by fuch gentle methods, "as are most agreeable to my own inclinations. "Gentlemen of the house of commons, "I return you in particular my thanks for the fupplies "you have given; which, although they fall fhort of the "fums you found neceffary, and have voted for the service " of the whole year; yet, by the encouragement you have "given to make them effectual, may, I hope, be fo mana"ged, as to carry on the current service till another feffion ❝of parliament. "My Lords and gentlemen, "I am very fenfible, there are matters of great confe"quence ftill depending before you; but, as they have hi"therto been postponed out of abfolute neceffity, by inter"vening affairs of a more preffing nature, and of the most "immediate concern to the peace and safety of the nation, "I thought the feafon of the year required, I fhould defer your further proceedings till the next feffion, rather than "you fhould be detained out of your refpective counties "longer than could be confiftent with your private con ❝cerns. "I cannot doubt but that, during this recefs, you will use "all your best endeavours to preferve the peace of the king"dom, and to discourage and fupprefs all manner of difor"ders, fince, as the firft fcene of the late rebellion was "opened and ushered in by tumults and riots, fo you may ❝ be affured, upon what pretence foever they are raised, they "can have no other tendency, but to fupport a fpirit of "faction, restless and unwearied in their endeavours to re"new the rebellion, and to fubvert the religion, laws, and "liberties of their country. "I defign to make use of the approaching recefs, to visit "my dominions in Germany, and to provide for the peace "and fecurity of the kingdom during my abfence, by con"ftituting my beloved fon, the prince of Wales, guardian " of the realm, and my lieutenant within the fame." After Gco. I. After this fpeech, the parliament was prorogued to the 1716. 7th of August. Freeholders Thus ended this long feffion of the first British parliament Addifon's called by king George. This parliament, by the excellency and seasonableness of the laws, made by them, recovered their country, in a great measure, out of its confufions, and provided for its future peace and happiness, under the present establishment. Their unanimous and regular proceedings; the abfolute neceffity of fome acts, which were paffed, and their difinclination to extend them any longer than that neceffity required; their manifeft averfion to enter upon fchemes, which the enemies of the nation had infinuated to have been their defign; together with that temper fo fuitable to the dignity of fuch an affembly, at a juncture, when it might have been expected, that very unusual heats would have arisen in an house of commons fo zealous for their king and country, were fufficient to quiet thofe groundless jealoufies and fufpicions, which had been industriously propagated by the ill-wifhers to our conftitution. Riots. The king had but too juft cause to complain of the fresh infults of the difaffected, notwithstanding the many inftances of his clemency. For on the 29th of May (king Charles's reftoration) the Jacobite and Tory factions had distinguished themselves by wearing oaken boughs, and on the 10th of June, the pretender's birth-day, by wearing white roses. But the fpirit of difaffection fhewed itself no where more openly than at Oxford. On the 28th of May the king's birth-day, all the windows that were illuminated there, were broken to pieces, as were all the windows that were not illuminated the next day, being the anniversary of the refforation (e). To prevent the ill effects of this difaffection, foldiers were quartered there, who, as they were chearfully and peaceably celebrating the prince of Wales's birth-day, were infulted by both the scholars and townfmen. Stones were thrown into the windows of the Star-Inn, where the officers (e) At the next affizes, among others, Wood, manciple of Baliol, and Mr. Stirling of the fame college, were tried for curfing the king: But Stirling was acquitted. Mr. Frank Nicholls, a commoner of Exeter college, about fifteen years of age, was tried for crying out, Ormond for ever;' and fined and imprisoned for the fame. The Political State for July 1716, fays, that he was tried for curfing the king and government: But it is a mistake, for he was tried only for the fact above-mentioned, as appears by the record, and and fome loyal gentlemen were met, who were attacked by Geo. I. the difaffected party when they came out to drink the king's 1716. and the royal family's health at the bonfire. Provoked by thefe affronts, the foldiers broke the windows of the difaffected, and committed fome other diforders. When the rice-chancellor and the mayor fent up their depofitions to court, they took no notice of the infults the officers and foldiers had met with, but only of what the foldiers had done by way of reprisals. As this affair came before the parliament, it will be mentioned more largely hereafter. reftored. On the 13th of June, general Maccartney, who had re- Maccartney turned to England fome time before, took his trial for the tried and pretended murder of the duke of Hamilton, Colonel Hamilton, who, in the queen's time, had given fuch a pofitive evidence, that he faw general Maccartney give the duke his mortal wound, now deviated from it, and only averred, that he faw his fword over the duke's fhoulder. The falfhood of which appeared by the evidence of the two park-keepers, who ftood firm to their former depofitions, That they had taken the fwords from general Maccartney and colonel Hamilton, when they went to the relief of the duke and lord Mohun.' And one of them depofed, that he had been offered two handfuls of gold, and a place of 100l. a year, by the lord Bolingbroke, if he would fwear, that Mr. Maccartney killed the duke. The jury acquitted Mr. Maccartney of the murder, and he was discharged of the manflaughter by the formality of a cold iron immediately made use of to prevent appeal. He was foon after reftored to his rank in the army, and had the earl of Orrery's regiment given him. made guar The king, before his departure, appointed the prince of The prince Wales guardian of the realm, and his lieutenant, during his of Wales abfence. The titles of duke of York, and Albany, and earl dian of the of Ulfter, were given to prince Erneft, bishop of Ofnaburg, realm. the king's brother, who with prince Frederick, was also made knight of the garter. The duke of Devonshire 'was made prefident of the council, and his place of lord fteward of the houfhold was given to the duke of Kent. The earl of Portland was made marquis of Titchfield, and duke of Portland. These promotions were attended with unexpected difgraces. The duke of Argyle, and his brother the earl of Ilay, were removed from all their employments (f). They had both (f) A lift of the duke's pofts and employments was made diftin publick, to this effect: Geo. I. diftinguished themfelves by their zeal and fervices for the go1716. vernment; and the king had in fome measure put his crown The king goes abroad. into their hands, by placing them at the head of his armies in Scotland. They had all along voted in the house of lords on the court-fide; and therefore their removal was the more ftrange. Whatever might be the caufe, their posts were difpofed of, to fhew there was no room to expect being reftored. General Carpenter was made commander in chief of the forces in Scotland, and governor of Minorca and PortMahon, and the duke of Montrofe was appointed lord clerkregifter of Scotland, in the room of the earl of Ilay. On the 7th of July, the king fet out from St. James's, took water at the Tower, and arrived about two in the afternoon at Gravesend, where he went on board the Carolina yacht (g). He was attended by Mr. fecretary Stanhope, Mr. Bofcawen, comptroller of the houfhold, the officers of the green cloth, and moft of his German minifters, who embarked in other yachts. In Margate Road they met a fquadron of men of war, commanded by admiral Aylmer; and they all made the coaft of Holland the 9th of July in the morning. About four in the afternoon, the king went afhore, and paffed through Holland incognito; lay at Voorts, the earl of Albemarle's feat, and arrived at Hanover the 15th of July; and, on the 20th, fet out for Pyrmont to drink the waters. in chief of all his majefty's |