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there were two bills paffed, for raising three millions and 1710-11. a half by two lotteries; the firft of one million five hundred w thousand pounds, and the fecond of two millions, to be paid back in thirty-two years; and, for a fund to answer this, duties were laid on hops, candles, leather, cards and dice, and on the poftage on letters. In one branch of this, the house of commons feemed to break in upon a rule, that had hitherto pafied for a facred one. When the duty upon leather was first propofed, it was rejected by a majority; and fo, by their ufual orders, it was not to be offered again during that feffion: but, after a little practice upon fome members, the fame duty was propofed, with this variation, that fkins and tanned hides fhould be fo charged; this was leather in another name. The lotteries were foon filled up; fo, by this means, money came into the treafury; and indeed this method has never yet failed of raifing a speedy fupply (t). There was no more asked, though, in the beginning of the feffion, the house had voted a million more than thefe bills amounted to; which made fome conclude, there was a fecret negotiation and profpect of peace.

Palatines.

The commons, finding the encouragement given to the Inquiry Palatines was difpleafing to the people, refolved to enquire about the into that matter. In order to this, a petition was procured Burnet. from the inhabitants of St. Olave, and other parishes, Pr. H. C. "Complaining of the great number of Palatines inhabiting "in one houfe, whereby it was feared fome contagious dif"temper might happen, and, having not wherewithal to "fubfift themselves, were likely to become chargeable to "the parish." This petition was immediately referred to the confideration of a committee, appointed for that purpose, with instructions to enquire, "Upon what invitation 66 or encouragement the Palatines came over, and what mo"nies were expended in bringing them into Great-Britain, "and for maintaining them here, and by whom paid." As the defign was now formed to load the late administration all that was poffible, it was pretended, that, in the whole affair of the Palatines, there was a defign against the church,

(t) The scheme of the lottery was drawn by Mr. John Blount, fcrivener of London, who was employed by the lords of the treasury; which, being approved, was inferted in the lottery-bill. When it was advertised, on the 10th of March, that the pay

ments would begin to be taken
in at Mercers-hall on the 13th, it
was found, that about two hun-
dred and fixty - fix thousand
pounds had been fubfcribed at
the bank of England, above the
firft payment of the whole fum of
one million and a half.

and,

1710-11, and, to increase the numbers and ftrength of the diffenters. The queen was addreffed for the papers relating to the bringing over and fubfifting the Palatines; and at last the houfe agreed to the following refolutions of their committee, "That the inviting and bringing over into this kingdom "the poor Palatines, of all religions, at the public ex66 pence, was an extravagant and unreasonable charge to the "kingdom, and a scandalous misapplication of the public "money, tending to the increase and oppreffion of the 66 poor of this kingdom, and of dangerous confequence to "the conftitution in church and state. 2. That whoever "advised the bringing over the poor Palatines into this "kingdom, was an enemy to the queen and kingdom.' And because a letter, written by the earl of Sunderland, in the queen's name, to the council of trade, was laid before them, by which they were ordered to confider of the beft methods of difpofing of the Palatines; it was moved to lay the load of that matter on him in some severe votes. But this was put off for that time, and afterwards, by feveral adjournments delayed, till at laft it was let fall.

naturaliza

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A bill to While the heat, raised by this enquiry, was kept up, repeal the the commons paffed a bill to repeal the act for a general tion-act, re- naturalization of all proteftants, which had passed two years jected by the before; pretending that it gave the encouragement to

lords. Burnet.

Pr. H. L.

the Palatines to come over, though none of them had made use of that act, in order to their naturalization. This was fent up to the lords; and the lord Guernsey, and some others, entertained them with tragical declamations on the fubject; yet, upon the first reading of the bill, it was rejected, to the great joy of all the foreign protestants. It is remarkable, if the bill was defigned to prevent the French refugees from enjoying the benefit of the naturalization, it had in fome measure a contrary effect: for whereas, fince the paffing of the act for a general naturalization, scarce fifteen hundred of them took the advantage of it; above two thousand were naturalized after the motion for repealing it was made, till it was rejected by the lords. A bill that was formerly often attempted, for difabling members of the house of commons to hold places, had also the same fate.

However, another bill for qualifying members, by having fix hundred pounds a year for a knight of the fhire, and three hundred pounds a year for a burgess, fucceeded better. The defign of this was to exclude courtiers, military men, and merchants, from fitting in the houfe of commons, in

hopes,

hopes, that, this being fettled, the land-intereft would be 1710-11. the prevailing confideration in all their confultations. They did not extend these qualifications to Scotland; it being pretended, that, eftates there being generally small, it would not be easy to find men fo qualified capable to ferve. This was thought to ftrike at an effential part of our constitution, touching the freedom of elections and it had been, as often as it was attempted, opposed by the miniftry, though it had a fair appearance of fecuring liberty, when all was lodged with men of eftates: yet our gentry was become fo ignorant, and fo corrupt, that many apprehended the ill effects of this; and that the intereft of trade, which indeed fupports that of the land, would neither be understood nor regarded. But the new minifters refolved to be popular with those who promoted it; fo it paffed, and was much magnified, as a main part of our security for the future.

wine.

Another bill passed, not much to the honour of those who An act for promoted it, for the importation of French wine. The in- French tereft of the nation lay against this fo vifibly, that nothing Burnet. but the luxury of thofe, who loved that liquor, could have carried fuch a motion through the two houses. But, though the bill passed, it was like to have no effect; for it was provided, that the wine fhould be imported in neutral veffels; and the king of France had forbid it to be exported in any veffels but his own. It seems he reckoned, that our defire

of drinking his wine would carry us to take it on fuch terms

as he should prescribe.

In the house of commons there appeared a new combina- An attempt tion of tories of the highest form, who thought the court upon Mr. was yet in fome management with the whigs, and did not Burnet. come up to their height, which they imputed to Mr. Harley; upon which account they began to form themselves in oppofition to him, and expreffed their jealoufy of him on feveral occafions, fometimes publicly. But an odd accident, that had almost been fatal, proved happy to him. The marquis de Guifcard, of whom a large account has been given, enjoyed his pay as colonel, till fome time after the battle of Almanza; when that ceased, he follicited to have a settled pension in the time of the late miniftry: but his intimacy with fome perfons, who had been removed from their employments, particularly Mr. St. John, with whom he entered into a strict confidence and community of pleafures, did not at all promote his affair. When Mr. St. John, by the great change at court, was advanced to the post of fecretary of ftate, the marquis expected to have found a

great.

1710-11. great fupport in him. But as all friendships, that are not grounded on virtue, are ever fhort-lived, the fecretary, who had fome time before quarrelled with the marquis about a mistress, or rather a child, which neither of them would own, was hardly prevailed with to fpeak in his favour. However, upon his faint recommendation, the queen ordered him a penfion of five hundred pounds a year; but Mr. Harley, who never liked Guifcard, not only reduced his penfion to four hundred pounds, but declined to have it put upon a fixed establishment. The marquis endeavoured feveral times to apply to the queen for redrefs; but being denied accefs, and highly disgusted with the ufage he received from thofe very perfons, whom he had looked upon as his intimate friends, he tried to make his peace with the court of France, and, in order to that, wrote to monfieur Moreau, a banker in Paris. His letter being directed to a perfon in Portugal, under the cover of the earl of Portmore, his lordship, fufpecting fomething, opened one of the packets, and, finding in it a dangerous correfpondence, fent it back to his lady, the countefs of Dorchester, who delivered it to Mr. Harley; and by her means another packet, which Guifcard would have tranfmitted to Portugal, was intercepted. It was pretended by fome, that thofe letters. contained only loose reflections on the weakness and mean capacity of the present miniftry; but, whatever was the purport of them, the marquis was, on the 18th of March, apprehended in St. James's park for high-treafon, by virtue of a warrant from Mr. fecretary St. John. He was fo furprized and difordered, that he defired the meffenger, who difarmed him, to kill him and, being brought to the Cockpit in the height of defpair, he took the refolution to make his ruin fatal to thofe who occafioned it; and, seeing in the room where he was confined, a penknife, which lay among pens in a ftandish, he took it up unperceived by the meffengers, who watched him. A committee of council being fummoned on this extraordinary occafion, and the lord-keeper Harcourt, the earl of Rochefter, the dukes of Buckingham, Newcaftle, and Ormond, earl Paulet, Mr. Harley, and the three fecretaries of state, the duke of Queensberry, the lord Dartmouth, and Mr. St. John, being met, the marquis was brought before them to be examined. Mr. St. John afked him feveral questions. about his corresponding with France; to which he returned evafive answers, with an affured countenance. But when Mr. St. John afked him, Whether he knew Mr. Moreau,

banker

banker at Paris? producing, at the fame time, the inter- 1710-11 cepted letters; the marquis appeared very much furprized. Finding himself difcovered, and despairing of a pardon, he refolved to put his black defign in execution. It was the general opinion, that his defign was to make his first attempt. upon Mr. St. John; which appears the more probable, because, as soon as he thought himself in a manner convicted of the crime for which he was apprehended, he defired to fpeak with him in private; but Mr. fecretary told him, that was impracticable and unusual: that he was before the committee of the council, as a criminal; and, if he had any thing to offer, it must be faid to them all. The marquis perfifting in his defire to fpeak only to Mr. St. John, they went to ring the bell, to call in the meffengers to carry him away; which he obferving, faid, That's hard; not one 'word.' (u) Being disappointed in his defign against Mr. St. John, who fat out of his reach, he ftepped towards the table, as if he intended to fay fomething to Mr. Harley; and, ftooping down, faid, Then have at thee'; (w) and ftabbed him about the middle of the breaft; but the penknife, lighting on the bone, broke about half an inch from the handle; which Guifcard not perceiving, redoubled the blow, and with a great force struck Mr. Harley not far from the firft wound. When Mr. St. John faw Mr. Harley fall, ne cried out, The villain has killed Mr. Harley; and, drawing his fword immediately, as did alfo the duke of Newcaftle, and fome others, they gave Guifcard feveral wounds. But when they faw Mr. Harley get up, and heard earl Paulet cry out, not to kill Guifcard, they gave over making paffes at him. Some of the privy-counfellors fecured themselves with chairs against the rage of the affaffin, who seemed to threaten them all. Others ran out of the room to call for help; and the meffengers and door-keepers having rushed in, and offering to lay hold on Guifcard, he ftruggled for a while, and overthrew fome of his affailants; but, at laft, Wilcox, one of the queen's meffengers, a very firong man, grappled with him, and gave him feveral bruifes, particularly one in the back, which was afterwards judged to have occafioned his death.

Mr. Harley's wound was presently fearched, and appeared to be a very flight one, yet he was long in the furgeon's hands. Some imputed this to an ill habit of body; others

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