A. C. Field of Battle, and to retire with the lofs of the 1693. greatest part of their Cannon, and of feven of eight Thoufand Men. The Duke of Schomberg having fought with unparallel'd Valour, receiv'd a Wound in the Thigh, of which he died not many days after. With this Action ended the Campaign in Piedmont, France. But while France was thus Triumphing every Great Scar where over the Allies, fhe had a more dangerous city in Enemy to encounter within her own Bowels; I mean, Famine, which daily fwept Multitudes of her Inhabitants. The famous Dubart did feafonably fetch great Quantities of Corn from Sweden and Denmark which he fafely convoy'd into the Harbours of France; but thefe not being able to fupply the general Scarcity, his moft Chriftian Majefty was neceflitated to make Propcfils of Peace to the makes Pro- Emperor, which being rejected; a Memorial was pofals of prefented to King William, by his Danish Majefty's Minifter, wherein 'great Offers were made from Appendix France, not only to the Empire, Spain and Hol land, but to his Britannick Majefty himself. Thefe Propofals were likewife rejected. France Peace. See the The Lord Let's now fee what pals d in England during the Juftices of King's Abfence: The 10th of July the Lord Capel, Ireland. Sir Cyril Wych, and William Duncomb Efq; fet out Sydney for Ireland, being constituted Lords Juftices of that made Ma. Kingdom, in the room of the Lord Vifcount Sydfter of the ney, who upon his Return was made Mafter GeneOrdinance, neral of the Ordinance. July 22. In the fame Month of July, the Earl of BelloThe Lord mont, and James Hamilton Efq; petition'd Her MaConings jefty, that a ftop might be put to the patling of by and Sir Pardons to the Lord Coningsby, and Sir Charles Por Charles. until the Petitioners, and many others of their Porter ac ter, s'd before Majefties Subjects of Ireland, might be permitted the Council, to produce their Proofs against them. The Lord Coningsby and Sir Charles Porter, upon hearing of fuch a Petition, did likewife requeft Her Majefty to put a flop to the faid Pardons, till their Accufers might be heard, in the most publick manner, before Her Maj fty in Council. Thereupon it was order'd in Council the 27th of July, that the Matters of 375 of the faid Petitions fhould be heard the next Coun- A. C. cil-Day; at which time the Earl of Bellomont and Mr. 1693. Hamilton deliverd a Paper, excufing their giving in any Charge against the Lord Coningsby and Sir Charles Porter, which being read, it was order'd, that the matter fhould be farther examin'd at the Board that Day fix Weeks; and that, in the mean time,the Accufers fhould deliver their Charge against the late Lords Juftices in Writing to the Board on the 17th of August. The Earl of Bellomont and Mr. Hamilton exhibited feveral Accufations on the appointed Day; but ftill declining to be heard to mike good the fame, and on the contrary, the Lord Coningsby and Sir Charles Porter, offering to prove And ac their innocency, the Queen order'd the faid Peti- quited tions and Charge to be difmift. Corn, Octo. 19 The Queen, taking into confideration that the Proclama. great fcarcity and exceflive price of Corn in France, tion against invited the Exportation of it from this Kingdom the Expor thither; whereby not only Her Majefty's Enemiestation of were fupplied, but her own Subjects might be expos'd to want, Her Majefty put out a Proclamation for preventing the faid Exportation of Corn to France, and enhauncing the Price of it at home; and becaufe by this farther Command the Poor were like to become fufferers, Her Majefty did at the fame time order all the Laws in force for fetting them on Work to be effectually put in Execution. comes to On the 10th of October (N.S.) the King arriv'd at the Hague from Loo; and on the 14th the States of Holland agreed to the raifing of 15000 Men for augmenting their Land Forces; and likewife to the addition of a confiderable number of Ships to their Navy, for which His Majefty thank'd them in their Aflembly. His Majelty having waited al. The King moft a whole Month for a fair Wind, embark'd at Kenfinglaft on the 28th of October (OS) landed at Har- ton, wich the 29th, and on the 30th arriv'd at Kenfing- O&. 30. A Week after, to fhew particularly the diflike Edward he had of the Proceedings at Sea the laft Summer, Ruffel de His Majefty declar'd in Council, that he had ap- clar'd Adpointed the Right Honourable Edward Ruffel Efq; miral, to be Admiral of the Fleet.' ton. Bbb 4 The Nov. 6. ament meets, A. C. The Parliament being met on the 17th of Novem1693. ber, purfuant to their late Prorogation, the King told them: He was always glad to meet them The Parli- there, and He could heartily wish that their conmon Satisfaction were not leffen'd at prefent, by reflecting upon the Disadvantage they had receiv'd Nov. 7., this Year at Land, and the Mifcarriages in the The King's Affairs at Sea: That He thought it evident, that Speech to the former was only occafion'd by the Superiority bash Houles of the Enemies Numbers in all Places: That for what related to the latter, which had brought fo great a Difgrace to the Nation, he had refented it extreamly; and as he would take care that those who had not done their Duty fhould be punish'd, fo He was refolv'd to ufe his Endeavours that the Power at Sea might be rightly manag'd for the future. And, Jaid He, it well deferves our Confideration, whether we are not defective both in the number of our Shipping, and in to the Westward, for the better annoying our EnePorts proper mies, and Protecting our Trade, which is fo ef fential to the Welfare of this Nation. I am, added He, very fenfible of the good Af fection wherewith you have always aflifted Me, to fupport the Charges of this War, which have been very great; and yet I am perfwaded, that the Experience of this Summer is fufficient to convince us all, that to arrive to a good end of it, 'there will be a neceflity to encrease our Forces, both by Sea and Land the next Year. Our Allies have refolved to add to theirs: And I will not doubt, but you will have fuch regard to the prefent Exigency, as that you will give Me a fuitable Supply to enable Me to do the like. 'He therefore earnestly recommended to the Houfe of Commons to take fuch timely Refolutions, as that their Supplies might be effectual, and his Preparations fo forward, as would be neceffary, both for the Security and Honour of the Nation. In Anfwer to this Speech the Commons unanimoufly refolv'd, That they would Support their M4jefties and their Government; but the first thing they did was to enquire into the Mifcarriages of the Fleet A. Ć. the laft Summer, and to take into their Confiderati 1693. on the Prefervation of the Trade of the Nation. Nov.17. Some time having been spent in examining the In- Miscarri ftructions and Orders given to the Fleet; the num-ages of be ber of Ships for the Line of Battle, and of the Fleet e Convoys and Cruilers; the Admirals that Com-quired manded both, and the Refults of the feveral Councils of War held by them,the Commons refolv'd, * That it was their Opinion, that there had been a notorious and treacherous Mifmanagement in the Mif carriage of the Smyrna Fleet. Their next Enquiry was, Why the Streights Fleet was stopt till the main Fleet went out? And then, Why the main Fleet did not convoy Sir George Rook's Squadron, and the Merchants Ships out of danger of the French Fleet? And it being alledg'd, that the main Fleet was not fufficiently victualled, the Commons examin'd the state of the Victualling of the Fleet, at its failing from Spithead, and thereupon refolv'd, †† Nov.37. That there was fufficient Beer on Board the mein Fleet when Sir George Rooke feparated, to have convoy'd his Squadron, and the Merchants Ships out of danger of the Breft Fleet. Two Days* after the Queftion Nov.29. being put, That it did appear to that House, that the Admirals that Commanded the Fleet the last Summer, bad, on the 11th of May last, Information, that part of the Breft Fleet was going out to Sen, it paffed in in the Negative: And on the 6th of December another Question being put, That the Admirals, by not Lending into Breft for Intelligence before they left the Streights Squadron, were guilty of a high Breach of the Bill for the + Nov. 28. Trust that was put in them, to the great Lofs and more fro Difhonour of the Nation, it was likewife carried in quent the Negative. meeting of A Bill for the more frequent Elections of Parlia. Parlia ments having, after the third Reading been rejected ments. t by the Commons; another Bill to the fame pur- Business of pole was fent down to them by the Lords, which the Supply, being read the third time, was likewife rejected. Nov.25. Pounds The Commons having unanimously voted a 2500000 Supply for the vigorous Profecution of the War; * refolv'd, That the Sum of 500000 Pounds be rais'd the Fleet. sowards granted for A. C. towards the difcharging the Wages due to the Seamen; 1693. And that a farther Sum of Two Millions be granted to their Majesties, in full, for the Maintainance of the Fleet, including the Ordinance, by reafon of the Revenue now falling fort. As for the Army, the Commons having examin'd the offenilive Treaties and Alliances, His Majefty was now under with the Confederates, and the Proportions of Forces, that the Dec. 20 Confederates were oblig'd to make for the carrying on this prefent War, unanimoufly refolv'd t, That the number of the Land Forces in their Majefties pay be encreafed, by the railing fix new Regiments of English Horfe, four new Regiments of English Dragoons, and fifteen new Regiments of English Foot, to be commanded by Officers that were their Majefties Natural Born Subjects; That 83121 Men, including Commitlion and Non-commistion Officers, were neceffary for the Service of the Year 1694. to be employ'd in England, and beyond the 2530590 Seas; and that the Sum of Two Millions Five Hundred Thirty Thoufand Five Hundred Ninety granted for Pounds be granted, for the Maintainance of the Land the Army. Forces, to wit, 210773 Pounds for the Office of Ordinance; 31808 Pounds for the pay of the General Officers; 11c60 Pounds for Levy-Money; 40808 Pounds for the Tranfports; 147000 Pounds for Hofpitals and Contingencies, and 1990781 Pounds for the Pay of the Horfe, Dragoons and Foot. Pounds Deficien cics. * Dec. 9. Befides thefe large Supplies, it was found, that the Sum of One Hundred Eighteen Thoufand Pounds was wanting to compleat the Sum of One Million granted to their Majestics by an Ac made in the laft Seffion of this prefent Parliament, for fecuring Recompences to fuch Perfons as fhould voluntarily advance the faid Million: And likewife that the Sum of Two Hundred Ninety Three Thoufand Six Hundred Ninety Two Pounds was wanting to compleat the Sum of Three Hundred Thoufand Pounds, granted by a late Act for the review of the Quarterly Poll: The firft of which defective Funds the Commons refolv'd* to make good, by enlarging the time for Perfons to pay in the rest of the Sum of One Million; And that towards the raifing of Money for the |