A. C. Ships; another for the better Difcipline of their Ma. 1693. jefties Navy, and feveral private Bills; after which his Majefty thank'd both roufes for the great Proofs they had given him of their Affections this Seffions; and having acquainted them with the necetlity of his being abfent for fome time out of the Parliamm Kingdom, he put an end to this long Seffion of prorogued. Parliament. Bills left Befides the foremention'd Bills feveral others were unfinish'd. left unfinish'd, to wit, a Bill to regulate Trials in Cafes of High-Treafon, which the Commons had fent to the Lords for their Concurrence; a Bill for the Naturalizing of all fuch Proteftants as should take the Oaths to their Majefties, and the Teft against Popery: a Bill concerning the Forfeitures both in England and Ireland; a Bill for Regiftring of Wills, &C. another against Stockjobbers; and another for the Encouragement of Privateers. Mr Ger 1693. Whilst the grave Politicians were busie about main pro the weighty Affairs of State, the Town was enterfecuted for tain'd with a lufcious Trial in Westminster-Hall. The Adultery Duke of Norfolk bearing with impatience the unby the lawful Commerce, which, for many Years paft, Duke of Mr. Germain had maintain'd with his Dutchefs, had Norfolk fome time before lodged a Bill of Divorce in the tian. Houfe of Peers; but their Lordships being unwilling to proceed in that Affair, before there were fome Proofs of the Fact in the Common Law, his Grace did thereupon bring an Action of Adultery against Mr. Germain before the Court of King's Bench. The Caufe was try'd on the 24th of November, and upon a full Hearing of many obfcene Evidences the Jury found for the Plaintiff, and allow'd his Grace One Hundred Marks Damages, with Coft of Court. 17, 18. Towards the middle of November Captain BemSt. Malo bow bombarded St. Malo four Days fucceffively, bombardd, tho' without any great Succefs; having only deNov. 16, ftroy'd fome few Houfes, and thrown down part of the Town Wall. On the 22d of the fame Month the Lord Viscount Sydney, Master of the Ordinance, was made Colonel of the firft Regiment of the Foot Guards in the Place of the late Duke of Se somberg's and 19. Places dif pas'd of. Schomberg; and at the fame time the Lord Viscount A. C On the 24th of November died Dr. William San- Dr. Sancroft, the depriv'd Archbishop of Canterbury; a croft Prelate whofe great Abilities, Learning, Wifdom, Archbishop Courage and Sincerity abundantly qualified him of Canterto fill the high and important Station he held a bury dies long time in the Church of England; and which Nov. 24. he contentedly refign'd, rather than to violate his His Chan Confcience, or fwerve from thofe Principles he had raster. always maintain'd. As for his Conduct in the Difcharge of his Epifcopal Office, he earnestly endeavour'd to preferve the Church of England in its Rights and Establishments, and to fecure the Pu. rity of her Doctrine, Worship and Difcipline, fo far as his Power and Authority extended. He was a very wife, but withal a very plain and fincere Man; and uncapable of any politick Arts to curry Favour with Princes. Laftly, he wanted not Tenderncfs towards the Diffenters, but he had not that Latitude of Principle to break down what he confcientioufly believ'd to be the Mounds and Fences of the Church, in order to let in the ftraggling Sheep; which he thought, might as well have enter'd at the right Door. On the last Day of the Year 1693. the renown'd prince Prince Lewis of Baden landed at Gravesend, from Lewis of whence he went to VVbitehall, where an Apartment Baden had been prepar'd for his Reception. His Highlands at nefs continued in England till the 14th of February Gravel 1694, during which time he was fplendidly enter end, Dec. tain'd and diverted, not only by his Majefty, but 31. and by feveral Peers of the Realm. The generous Dukes for of Ormond diftinguish'd himself from the reft, by Feb. 14. inviting Prince Lewis to a magnificent Banquet, 1694. followed by a Ball, where the brighteft Beauties of the English Court were prefent. About this time Mr. Ccc Holland 1694. A. C. Mr. Charles Butler, Brother to the faid Duke, was *created Baron of England, and Earl of Arran in Ireland. Three Weeks after Peregrine Bertie, Efq; was made Vice-Chamberlain to his Majefty, in the place of Sir John Lowther, who refign'd the fame; and on the 4th of March, the Earl of Shrewsbury was, once more, made one of the Principal Secre taries of State. Jan. 17. Towards the end of February arriv'd a melanPart of the Fleet under choly News: A Fleet of Merchant-Ships, under a Sir Francis Convoy of Men of War, commanded by Sir Fran Wheeler cis Wheeler, having fail'd on the 17th of that Month destroy'd from Gibraltar towards the Streights, met the next by a storm. Day with a moft violent Storm, which continued Feb. 18. all that Day, and the following Night; infomuch that on the 19th, about Five in the Morning, Sir Francis Wheeler's own Ship, the Suffex, was founder'd, and himself, with all his Men, except two Moors, drown'd; the Cambridge and Lumley Caftle Men of War; the Serpent Bomb Ketch, and the Mary Ketch, together with the Italian-Merchant, the Aleppo-Factor, the Great George and the Berkshire, bound for Turkey; the William for Venice; and the Golden-Merchant for Leghorn, all English, were driven afhore, on the Eaft fide of Gibraltar and most of the Men loft. The fame Fate attended Three Durch Ships richly laden, but Rear-Admiral Neville, with two Dutch Men of War, had the good Fortune to be blown out of the Streights, and put fafe into Cadiz; as did the rest of the Fleet on the 19th into Gibraltar. This Lofs, how great foever, was foon after repair'd, his Majefty having caus'd the Men of War upon the Stocks to be finifh'd with extroardinary Diligence. Titles and The fame Day the Parliament was prorogued, the Places be King bestow'd the Title of Duke on the Earl of Stow'd by Shrewsbury, and created the Earl of Mafgrave, Marbis Majefty quis of Normandy, with the Gift of a Penlion of Three Thoufand Pounds a Year; to make his Lordship fome Amends for the Place of Lord Chamberlain, which he enjoy'd in the former Reign. About the fame time the Lord Viscount Sydney was made Earl of Rumney, and Henry Herbert Efq; Baron Her bers bert of Cherbury in confideration of his eminent A. C. Services to their Majefties Government. Edward 1694. Ruffel Efq, Sir John Lowther, Henry Prieftman Efq; Robert Auften Elq; Sir Robert Rich. Sir George Rock, and Sir John Houblon, were appointed Com millioners for executing the Office of Lord Hg. Admiral of England and Ireland. And the Committion of the Treafury, was given to the Lord Godolphin, Sir Stephen Fox, Charles Montague Efq. Sir William Trumball, and John Smith Efquire. 1 ngs being the King thus fettled at home, His Majefty embark d at Margate on the 6th of May, and fafely landed in Holland Holland. the Day following. On the 5th of June his Electoral Highness Frede- 3 Knights rick III. Marquis of Brandenburg; his moft Serene of the Gar Highness George William Duke of Brunswick and Lu-ter Inflall' & nenburg, and the Duke of Shrewsbury, Knights electJunes. of the moft Noble Order of the Garter, were Inftall'd in St. George's Chappel at Windfor; the two former by their Proxies, and his Grace in Perfon. About this time a Draught of a Commiffion for taking Subfcriptions for the Bank of England, together with a Schedule containing the Draught of a Charter for the Corporation of the faid Bank, were Bank of firft approv'd and fign'd by Her Majefty; and England the Charter which was to pafs under the Great Seal formed, of England, after the first Day of August, if the June 8. Sum of 1200000 Pounds, or one Moiety, or more thereof, fhould be fubfcribed by that time; or fooner, if the whole 1200000 Pounds fhould be fooner fubfcribed, was accordingly granted towards the middle of July; the Committioners having taken Subfcriptions amounting to that full Sum by the 5th of that Month. The Confederate Fleet was out pretty early this Year; but yet they were neither able to block up that of France, in Brest, nor to fight them at Sea; than which the English defir'd nothing more. The French, on the contrary, induftrioufly avoided an Engagement, and were no fooner out of Harbour, but they made all the Sail they could towards the Mediterranean, having form'd great Deligns against Spain, both by Sea and Land, this Campaign. In Ccc 2 order A. C. order to break their Measures, and prevent the en 1694. tire lofs of Catalonia, King William thought fit to fend his Fleet into thofe Seas; but before Admiral Admiral Ruffel left the Coaft of France, being inform`d that Ruffel, there was a Fleet of French Merchant-Men in Berwith the theaume Bay, bound to the Eaft-ward; he detach'd Fleet, fails Captain Pickard, and the Roc-buck Firefhip, either for Spain. to take or deftroy them. Thefe Orders Captain Pickard executed with fo good Succefs, that of Fifty five Sail of them, he burnt or funk Thirty five, be- · fides the Man of War that was their Convoy, which ran among the Rocks. and foon after blew up, with her two Sloops of between 10 or 15 Guns. The fame good Fortune did not attend the Defign the English and Dutch had been long concerting, of deftroying the Harbour of Brest; the Execution of which defperate Attempt was committed to Lieutenant General Talmafh, as fome pretend, thro' the means of his Enviers. On the 5th of June the Unfortu Mate At Lord Berkley, Admiral of the Blue Squadron, parttempt uponed from Admiral Ruffel with Twenty nine Men of Breft. War, of the Line of Battle, English and Dutch, befides fmall Frigats, Fire-fhips, Bomb ketches, and Transport fhips, and upon the 7th he came to an Anchor between Camaret Bay and the Bay of Bertheaume, notwithstanding the Enemies Bombs from Camaret Western Point, from a Caftle on a high Rock in Bertheaum: Bay, and from two Forts on each fide of the Ifthmus, going into Brest Road. The fame Day the Lord Cuts, and the Marquis of Carmarthen, in his own Galley, ftood in a confiderable way into the Bay, and having taken a good view of it, amidst the Enemies Fire, they return'd and gave the Lord Berkley an account of the Pofture of the Bay, and the Situation of the Castle, which they found very advantageous to defend the Landing-Places. Thereupon it was thought convenient that the Monk, a Ship of Sixty Guns, and the Diameten, of equal Force, fhould go in; but the Marquis not believing that thofe two Men of War would be fufficient to cover the Boats at their Landing, nor to affift the Land-Forces by playing upon the Enemy, who were better prepared and more numerous than |