A. C. for an Addrefs, to defire His Majefty to remove the 1689. Perfons he had marked out, from his Prefence and Councils. This Speech might, perhaps, have made an Impreffion on the Minds of fome Members, but becaufe, at the fame time he Complain'd, that feveral Common-wealths-men were employ'd by the Government, the Houfe, who knew both him, his Father, and their Predeceffors to have ever adher'd to the Republican Party, broke out immediately into a general Laughter. Affoon as the Commons had recover'd their Gravity; feveral Members stood up in Defence of the illuftrious Perfons, on whom Mr. Hamden had reflected, alledging, that the Reafon why they had been deputed to the Prince of Orange, was not because they were in King James's Intereft, but rather because they had all along difapprov'd His Majefty's Conduct, and, as fuch, had the General Approbation of the Nation, and were moft likely to be agreeable to his Highnefs. However Mr. Hamden did not altogether lofe his Point, for the Houfe Voted an Addrefs, humbly to reprefent to the King the Mifcarriages of Ireland and of the Fleet, and to defire His Majefty would be pleas'd to difcover the Authors of them, that they might be brought to punishment. Mr. Hamden, with fome others, having been nam'd to draw up this Addrefs, gave People occafion to think that his principal Aim was to have the E of Nremov'd, that he might himself step into his Place of Secretary of State; to which he eagerly afpir'd, as prefuming much upon his own Knowledge of Foreign Affairs.

The fame Day Sir Tho- C-ges reprefented to the Commons that it was dangerous to bring fo many Foreign Troops into the Kingdom, and that it was both lafer and more expeditious to employ Englifemen in the Reduction of Ireland. He fupported his Opinion by the Example of Cromwell, whofe English Troops, not only had a Natural Antipathy against the Irif, but likewife a conftant Af cendant over them; but fome body very juftly replied, That Cromwell's Army was compos'd of well-train'd Weather-beaten Soldiers, whereas the Prefent English Forces were made up of raw, un

difciplin'd Men. Sir Tho. C-ges made this Moti- A. C. on upon a falfe Report, that befides the Seven 1689. Thoufand Danes, which by this time were Landed in England and Scotland, the King had fent for Eight Thousand more either from Hanover or Sueden.

Two Days after the King gave the Royal Sanction to two confiderable Bills; the firft was to grant to their Majefties an Aid of Two Shillings in the Pound for one Year, and the other to declare the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and to fettle the Succeffion of the Crown, which latter contained the whole Declaration prefented to their Majefties on the 13th of Febuary, with fome Additions concerning the Limitation of the Crown, particularly the Claufe already mention'd against Popish Succeffors.

Bills past,

Decem. 16

Debate A

bout the

The next Bufinefs the Commons went upon, was the fettling a part of the Publick Revenue on the Princefs Anne of Denmark, which occafioned great Ann's RePrincess Debates, and divided that Houfe into three Parties. venue. The Lord Eland, Son to the Marquefs of Hallifax, Mr. Finch, and Mr. Godolphin, who spoke in Favour of her Royal Highnefs, infifted that Seventy Thoufand Pound per Annum was as little as could be allow'd Her, as it had been reprefented in the former Seffion. The Lord F-d and others would have that Sum reduc'd to Fifty Thousand Pounds; and others again, being influenced by the King, where for leaving that Matter wholly to his Majefty's Difcretion. Mr. Hamden (Junior)who few Days before had thundered against the Court and Minifters, did nevertheless fide with this laft Party, alledging the danger of fettling a Revenue on a Princefs that had fo near a Claim to the Crown, independently upon the King, whofe Title was difputed by abundance of Malecontents; and fupported his Argument by the Example of the Queen, on whom it had lately been propos'd to fettle a Hundred Thoufand Poundsa Year, but which was thought improper, and therefore rejected, though her Majefty had no feparate Inte reft from that of her RoyalConfort.However his pinion was not follow'd, and the Debate was adjourn'd to the next day. In the mean time his Majefty, who was unwilling that fo nice anAffair fhould be fo loudMm 3

ly

A. C. ly canvafs'd in Parliament, fent the Earl of Shrewsbury 1689, and M. Wharton to her Royal Highnefs, with defign to perfwade her to rely on his Generofity: But the Princefs, who was for a fix'd Settlement, prudently anfwer'd, That fince that Affair was before the Commons, it must e'en take its courfe, and be concluded by that Wife Body. The Commons having refum'd the Confideration of Yesterday's Debate, agreed that the Sum of Fifty Thoufand Pounds fhould be paid yearly to her Royal Highnefs out of the Excife, which was lefs than the Princefs, expected, and yet more than the King would have had given. Four Days after his Majefty went to the Parliament and gave his Affent to an Act to prevent Doubts and Queftions concerning the Collection of the Publick Revenue; Rills past, and to another for punishing Officers and Soldiers who Decem.23 Should Mutiny or Defert their Majefties Service, and for punishing falfe Mufters.

Bills past,

Jan. 26.

The fame Day Mr. Hamden (Junior) prefented to the Houfe of Commons the Addrefs he had been order'd to draw up, to defire his Majefty to take into Confideration the Mifcarriages of this Year's Campaign both by Sea and Land; and because it contain'd a tedious Detail of ill Succeffes, fome Members, and even Mr. Hamden (Senior) fpoke against it, and infifted to have it drawn over again; but thofe who were for the Addrefs, crying louder than the reft, that it ought indeed to be drawn up over again, not in order to contract, but rather to enlarge it; they carried the Point, and the Addrefs was return'd for that purpofe. The Perfons to be particularly mention'd in it,were ftill the fame three Peers, of whom I spoke before, to which fome enclin'd to add Mr. B-twaith Secretary of War, upon and ill grounded Surmife, that the Lord Griffin had procured from him the Lift of K. William's Forces, which was Intercepted with his other Papers; tho otherwife Mr. B----twaith was allow'd to be a Man of great Uprightnefs and Fidelity Christmas Holydays gave fome diverfion to thefe ill Humours, and on the 16th of January the King came to the Houfe of Lords, and the Commons being fent for up, his Majefty Confirm'd by his Royal Affent, An Act for a Grant to their Majesties of an Additional Aid

of Twelve Pence in the Pound for one Year, and ano- A. C. ther for the Charging and Collecting the Duties upon 1690. Coffee, Tea and Chocolate, at the Cuftom-Houfe.

ament.

The late Animofities breaking out afresh in the Houfe of Commons, and there being little probability of fuppreffing them otherwife than by putting a final ftop to the Proceedings of this Parliament, his Majefty thought fit to * pafs fuch Bills as were ready for his Affent, to wit, An Act for the review of* Jan. 27. the Poll-Bill, and for an Additional Poll. Another to prevent Vexasious Suits against fuch as acted in order to the bringing in their Majefties, or for their Service: Another for the better Security and Relief of the Irish Proteftants, by which the Parliament of Ireland was annull'd, and declar'd to be an Unlawful and Rebellious Affembly, and feveral Private Acts. After this hisHis Ma Majelty made a Speech to both Houfes, wherein he jefty's "thanked them for the readiness they had fhew'd to Speech to fupply him with Money for the carring on the the Parli "Wars he was engag'd in, affuring them, that as "far as it would go, it fhould all be employ'd to "the Purposes it was given. He told them, It was a very fentible Affliction to him to fee his good People Burthen'd with heavy Taxes; but fince "the speedy Recovery of Ireland was, in his Opini66 on, the only means to cafe them, and to preferve "the Peace and Honour of the Nation, He was "refolv'd to go thither in Perfon, and, with the Bleifing of God Almighty, endeavour to reduce "that Kingdom,that it might no longer be a Charge "to this. That as he had already ventur'd his Life "for the Prefervation of the Religion, Laws and "Liberties of this Nation; fo he was now willing again to expofe it, to fecure them the quiet enjoyment of them. That the Spring drew on, and it being requifite he fhould be early in the "Field, he muft immediately apply his Thoughts to the giving Orders for the neceflary Preparations, which that he might have the more leifure

66

66

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"to do, he had thought convenient now to put an Parlia end to this Seffion. The Parliament by his Ma- ment Dif jefties Command being Prorogued to the 2d. of A- folu'd‚Feb. pril, was by Proclamation Diffolv'd upon the 6th 6.

Mm 4

of

A. C. of February, and at the fame time the King call'd 1690. another to meet on the 20th of March.

The King of Spain having Married by Proxy the The Queen Princess Mariana of Newburgh, Sifter to the Empress of Spain and the Queen of Portugal, his Catholick Majefty 15 Conduct-defir'd an English Convoy of King William, ed thither his Allie, to Conduct her by Sea to the Groyne. by an Eng-Vice Admiral Ruffel was accordingly appointed with lifh Con- a Squadron of Men of War to attend her Majefty

vey.

who having waited a tedious while for his Arrival at Dort, and then for a fair Wind at Middleburgh and Flushing, Embark'd at laft aboard the Duke, towards the middle of January, and arrived in the Downs on the 18th of the faid Month. On the 25th the whole Fleet came to an Anchor at Spithead, and two Days after the Queen of Spain was Complimented from their Majefties by the Duke of Norfolk, and from their Royal Highneffes by the Lord Now Lord Cornbury and Collonel Berkley. The contrary Fitzhard Winds detain'd her Majefty in feveral of the Western Ports of England till the 7th of March; when the Fleet, which by this time was encreas'd to the number of Four Hundred Merchant-men bound for the Steights, with about 30 Men of War to Convoy them, fet Sail from Torbay, and after a stormy and dangerous Paffage fafely Landed at the Groyne.

ing.

*

Whilft the different Parties were bufie in influencing the Elections of Parliament-Men, King William applied his Thoughts to the forwarding the neceffary Preparations for his Irish Expedition; which indeed were carried on with great Diligence, and no lefs Shew, that both his Majefties Subjects, and his Allies, might fee that he was in earneft. Not only the old Regiments were compleated with fresh Recruits, but new ones were rais'd; the Danish Forces Embark'd for Ireland, and ftrong Detachments out of the Guards order'd to be in readinefs to attend his Majefty. Nor was the King lefs mindful of the Civil part of the Government, for having wifely +Commiffi confider'd what great Heats had been rais'd in the oners for late Parliament, upon the fcore of the Marquefs of the Privy Halifax being Lord Privy Seal his Majefty tappointSeal, Feb. ed William Cheney Efq; Sir John Knotchbull Baronet, and Sir William Pulteney his Commiffioners for exe

19.