1705. whigs had very little ftrength given them by the minifters in managing the elections. They feemed rather to look on as indifferent fpectators, but the whigs exerted themselves with great activity and zeal. The dillenters who had been former

of Auguft, with the utmost indignation and refentment, prefented one book, lately printed by a notorious criminal [David Edwards] (convicted in that court for printing and publishing a feditious. and treafonable libel, for which he was fined and pilloried, and was now fled from juftice) intitled, The memorial of the church of England,, &c. to be a falfe, fcandalous, and traiterous libel, fecretly, but induftrioufly fpread abroad, to advance and accomplish traiterous and wicked defigns, highly impeaching. the truth and fincerity of her.

vour, and the repulfes, which
the church has met with.
Eyery thing has paffed in
Scotland to the defire of the
prefbytery, even to the en-
dangering the church and
monarchy of England, and
the difherifon of its crown,
and the immediate prejudice
⚫ of its fovereignty; but on the
contrary, nothing for the fe-
curity of the church here,
which can not only boaft it.
felf to be a main branch of
the civil conftitution, but the
prop and support of the whole
⚫ frame of
6
government; which
⚫ removed, it must neceflarily
fall to the ground, as has

⚫ been once fatally experiment-majefty's royal refolution and ed. All attempts to fettle it

on

a perpetual foundation have been oppofed and rendered ineffectual by minifters, who owe their prefent grandeur to its protection; and

who with

"
a prevarication
as fhameful as their ingrati-
tude, pretend to vote and
fpeak for it themselves, while
they folicit and bribe others
with penfions and places to
be against it.'

This laft reflection was vifi-
bly levelled against the duke of
Marlborough and the lord
treasurer Godolphin; and the
reft of that libel, containing no
lefs injurious infinuations against
the queen herself for removing
fome of her minifters, the grand
jury of London and county of
Middlesex, at the feffions held
at the Old-Bailey, on the 31ft

pious affurances to fupport. and preferve our government, both in church and flate, the. rights, liberties, and proper. ties of all her people; and. alfo craftily defigned to re, proach and fcandalize her wife and faithful miniftry,. • divide her councils, create variances, difputes, and dif-. cords in her parliament, and to raife and foment animofities, fears, and jealoufies amongst all her people.' Upon this prefentment the court ordered the faid libel to be forthwith burnt in the fight of the faid court then fitting, and also, on the Tuesday following, before the Royal-exchange, which. was done accordingly, on the. 1ft of September, the fheriffs attending.

formerly much divided, were now united intirely in the in- 1705. terefts of the government, and joined with the whigs every where.

When the elections were all over, the court took more Sir Naheart, for it appeared, that they were fure of a great majo- than rity; and the lord Godolphin declared himself more open- Wright ly, than he had yet done, in favour of the whigs. The difmiffed. firft inftance given of this, was the difmiffing of fir Nathan Wright, who had continued fo long lord-keeper, that he was fallen under a high degree of contempt with all fides; even the tories, though he was wholly theirs, defpifing him. He was fordidly covetous, and did not at all live fuitably to that high poft. He was become extremely rich, though he was not charged with bribery in his court; but there was a rumour with relation to the livings of the crown, that were given by the great feal, as if they were fet to fale by the officers under him. The great-feal being fent for, the cuftody of it was given, in council to William Cowper, Cowper with the title of lord-keeper. He was a gentleman of a good made family, of excellent parts, and of an engaging deportment, lordvery eminent in his profeffion, and had been, for many years, Oct. 11. keeper, confidered as the man, who spoke the best in the house of commons. His promotion was very acceptable to the whigs, who had been much difgufted with the lord-treafurer for the coldness he expreffed, as if he would have maintained a neutrality between the two parties, though the one fupported him, while the other defigned to ruin him. But this step, in preferring the new lord-keeper, went a great way towards reconciling the whigs to him (a).

Second

The new parliament met on the 25th of October. The parlia appearance in the house of commons was greater than had ment of been known at the opening of any parliament for fifty years be- queen fore; no less than four hundred and fifty-fix members being present. The first struggle was about the choice of a speaker,

(a) The duchefs of Marl borough, in the account of her conduct (p. 159) fays, The next year I prevailed with her majefty to take the great feal from fir Nathan Wright, a man defpifed by all parties, of no ufe to the crown, and whofe weak and wretched conduct, in the court of Chancery, had almoft brought his very office in

by

to contempt. His removal,
however, was a great lofs to the
church, for which he had ever
been a warm tickler. And this
lofs was the more fenfibly felt
as his fucceffor, my lord Cow-
per, was not only of the whig-
party, but of fuch abilities and
integrity, as brought a
credit to it in the nation.

Iv 4

now

Anne. Hift. of Eur. Bur. P. H. C. III.

442.

1705. by which a judgment was to be made of the temper and inclination of the members. The court declared for Mr. John Smith, a man of clear parts, and of a good expreffion, who was then in no employment, but had gone through great pofts in the former reign with reputation and honour, having been a commiffioner of the treafury, and chancellor of the exchequer. He had, from his firft fetting out in the world, been thoroughly in the principles and interefts of the whigs, yet with a due temper in all perfonal things, with relation to the tories. But the tories all declared against him for Mr. Bromley, one of the reprefentatives of the university of Oxford, a man of a grave deportment and good morals, but confidered as a violent tory, and as a great favourer of jacobites, which appeared evidently in a relation which he printed of his travels. The marquis of Granby, eldest fon to the duke of Rutland, who first propofed Mr. Smith, was feconded by Mr, Robert Walpole; and fir John Holland, the marquis of Hartington, fir William Strickland, fir Charles Turner, and fome others, spoke by turns on the fame fide. On the other hand, the earl of Dyfert recommended Mr. Bromley, and was fupported by fir Thomas Hanmer, fir Edward Seymour, fir William Drake, Mr. Frederick Herne, Mr. Annesley, and fir Roger Moftyn. No affair of that fort had ever been car

ried with fuch heat on both fides as this was: So that it was just to form a judgment upon it of the temper of the house. After a debate of about an hour and half, the houfe divided, and, two members being appointed to tell the voices, Mr. Smith had two-hundred and forty-eight, and Mr. Bromley two hundred and five only. Mr. Smith being, on the 27th of October, prefented to the queen, feated on the throne in the houfe of peers, the approved the choice of him, and made the following fpeech to both houses;

My lords and gentlemen,

I Have been very defirous to meet you as early as I thought you might be called together without in❝ convenience to yourselves. And it is with much fatisfaction, I obferve fo full an appearance at the opening of the parliament, because it is a ground for me to con❝clude, you are all convinced of the neceffity of profecuting "the just war, in which we are engaged, and therefore are truly fenfible, that it is of the greatest importance to us, to be timely in our preparations.

"Nothing

"Nothing can be more evident, than that if the French ❝king continues mafter of the Spanish monarchy, the ba

lance of the power in Europe is utterly destroyed, and " he will be able in a fhort time to ingrofs the trade and "the wealth of the world.

"No good Englishman could at any time be content to "fit ftill, and acquiefce in fuch a profpect; and at this "time we have great grounds to hope, that by the blef

fing of God upon our arms, and thofe of our allies, a "good foundation is laid for reftoring the monarchy of "Spain to the house of Auftria; the confequences of "which will not only be fafe and advantageous, but glorious for England.

"I may add, we have learned by our own experience, "that no peace with France will last longer, than the "first opportunity of their dividing the allies, and of attack❝ing fome of them with advantage.

"All our allies must needs be fo fenfible this is the true "ftate of the cafe, that I make no doubt but measures * will foon be fo concerted, as that, if we be not want-, "ing to ourselves, we fhall fee the next campaign begin. "offenfively on all fides against our cnemies, in a moft "vigorous manner.

"I must therefore defire you, gentlemen of the house of "commons, to grant me the fupplies, which will be requi"fite for carrying on the next year's fervice both by fea and "land; and, at the fame time, to confider, that the giving "all poffible dispatch, will make the supply itself much "more effectual,

"The firmness and conduct, which the duke of Savoy has fhewn amidst extreme difficulties, is beyond example. "I have not been wanting to do all that was poffible for "me in order to his being fupported.

"I ought to take notice to you, that the king of "Pruffia's troops have been very useful to this end. Your "approbation of that treaty last feffion, and the encourage"ment you gave upon it, leave me no doubt of being able "to renew it for another year.

"I take this occafion to affure you, that not only what"ever shall be granted by parliament for bearing the charge. "of the war, fhall be laid out for that purpose with the "greatest faithfulness and management; but that I will. continue to add, out of my own revenue, all I can rea"fonably spare, beyond the necessary expences for the ho"nour of the government.

My

1705.

1705.

"My lords and gentlemen,

"By an act of parliament paffed the laft winter, I was "enabled to appoint commiffioners for this kingdom, to "treat with commiffioners to be impowered by authority "of parliament in Scotland, concerning a nearer and more "complete union between the two kingdoms, as foon as "an act should be made there for that purpose. I think "it proper for me to acquaint you, that fuch an act is "paffed there; and I intend in a fhort time, to cause "commiffions to be made out, in order to put the treaty "on foot, which I heartily defire may prove fuccessful, "because I am perfuaded, that an union of the two king"doms will not only prevent many inconveniences, which "may otherwife happen, but muft conduce to the peace "and happiness of both nations; and therefore I hope I "fhall have your affiftance, in bringing this great work to "a good conclufion.

"There is another union I think myself obliged to re"commend to you in the moft earnest and affectionate "manner; I mean an union of minds and affections a"mongst ourselves. It is that, which would, above all "things, difappoint and defeat the hopes and defigns of "our enemies.

"I cannot but with grief observe, there are fome amongst ❝us, who endeavour to foment animofities; but I perfuade "myfelf, they will be found to be very few, when you ap ❝pear to affift me in discountenancing and defeating fuch "practices.

"I mention this with a little more warmth, because "there have not been wanting fome fo very malicious, as " even in print to fuggeft the church of England, as by law "established, to be in danger at this time.

"I am willing to hope, not one of my fubjects can "really entertain a doubt of my affection to the church, or "fo much as fufpect, that it will not be my chief care "to fupport it, and leave it fecure after me; and there-, "fore we may be certain, that they, who go about to "infinuate things of this nature, must be mine and the "kingdom's enemies, and can only mean to cover designs, "which they dare not publickly own, by endeavouring to "diftract us with unreasonable and groundless diftrufts and jealoufics.

66 I