opened, fo they complied. Another reason for proroguing the parliament fo late in the year, was the discovery of a coalition of fome eminent peers of the high-church party, with those of the contrary fide, and of their having concerted a representation to be laid before the queen against a peace on the foot of the propofals made by France; which, it was thought, might be prevented, if not by other means, at least by the coming up of the Scotch peers, not above three or four of whom were yet arrived in London (u).

1711.

used by

In the mean time, pains were taken on many perfons Endeavour who were supposed to be concerned in the intended repre- court heg

(u) What happened, fome days before, afforded yet more matter of difcourfe and fpeculation. Upon information, that the effigies of the devil, the pope, and the pretender, were to be carried in proceffion, and (according to the custom of the London mob) burnt on the 17th of November, the anniversary of queen Elizabeth's inauguration, the earl of Dartmouth iffued out his warrant, purfuant to which, on the 16th, at twelve at night, fome of the queen's meffengers, fuftained by a detachment of the foot-guards, feized thofe three figures, with feveral others of cardinals, jefuits, and friars, all finely dreffed, and carried them from an empty house in Drurylane, where they had been lodged, to the earl of Dartmouth's office in the Cockpit. And the trained binds of London and Wefiminfter were immediately affembled, and continued under arms three days together. At the fame time endeavours were used to render obnoxious an illuftrious fociety of noblemen and gentlemen, called the Kit-Cat-Club, who, for many years, had dif tinguished themfelves by their zeal for the proteftant fucceffion.

1711. fentation. The lord-treafurer Harley endeavoured to engage the earl of Nottingham in the court measures, against which he had openly declared. And the queen, at the fame time, clofeted the dukes of Grafton and St. Albans, the earls of Dorfet and Scarborough, the lords Sommers, Cowper, and particularly the duke of Marlborough, who, upon his coming over, fpoke plainly to the queen against the fteps that were already made: but he found her fo poffeffed, that what he said made no impreffion; fo he defired to be excused from coming to council, fince he must oppofe the prefent proceedings. All the reft likewife remained firm in their opinion, to the great disappointment of the new miniftry (w). It was therefore propofed at firft in a council, on the 5th of December, to caufe both houfes to adjourn for a few days, during which frefh endeavours might be used to defeat the defign lately formed against the prefent fcheme; but fome members of the privy-council having reprefented the fears and jealoufies, which fuch an adjournment, after fo many prorogations, might create in the minds of the people; and, on the other hand, the miniftry, either hoping, with the affiftance of their Scots friends, to have a majority in the houfe of lords, or, at leaft, being The fecond fecure of it in that of the commons, it was, after a long feffion of the debate, finally refolved, that the parliament fhould fit on the third parliament of day, to which they were laft prorogued. Accordingly, a Great-Bri- committee of the council having met the 6th of December, tain. to confider of the queen's fpeech, her majefty went the next

Pr. H. C.

(w) Among others (fays bishop Burnet, Vol. II. p. 582.) the queen fpoke to myfelf: the faid, the hoped bishops would not be against peace. I faid, a good peace was what we prayed daily for; but the preliminaries offered by France gave no hopes of fuch an one; and the trufting to the king of France's faith, after all that had paffed, would feem a ftrange thing. She faid, we were not to regard the preliminaries; we fhould have a peace upon fuch a bottom, that we should not at all rely on the king of France's word: but we ought to fufpend our opinions,

till fhe acquainted us with the whole matter. I asked leave to fpeak my mind plainly, which the granted: I faid, any treaty, by which Spain and the WeftIndies were left to king Philip, mult in a little while deliver up all Europe into the hands of France; and, if any fuch peace fhould be made, the was betrayed, and we were all ruined; in lefs than three years time, the would be murdered, and the fires would be again raifed in Smithfield. I purfued this long, till 1 faw fhe grew uneafy; fo 1 withdrew.

day

day in a fedan to the houfe of peers, and spoke to both houfes 1711. to this effect:

My lords and gentlemen,

Have called you together, as foon as the public affairs The queen's would permit; and I am glad I can now tell you, that, fpeech. "notwithstanding the arts of thofe, who delight in war, "both place and time are appointed, for opening the treaty of a general peace.

"Our allies, especially the ftates-general, whose in❝tereft I look upon as infeparable from my own, have, by "their ready concurrence, expreffed their intire confi "dence in me; and I have no reason to doubt, but that my own fubjects are affured of my particular care of ❝ them.

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My chief concern is, that the proteftant religion, and "the laws and liberties of thefe nations, may be con"tinued to you, by fecuring the fucceffion to the crown, "as it is limited by parliament, to the house of Hanover.

"I fhall endeavour, that after a war, which has coft "fo much blood and treasure, you may find your intereft "in trade and commerce improved and enlarged by a peace, with all other advantages, which a tender and af"fectionate fovereign can procure for a dutiful and loyal. "people.

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"The princes and ftates, which have been engaged "with us in this war, being by treaties intitled to have "their feveral interefts fecured at a peace, I will not only << do my utmost to procure every one of them all reafon"able fatisfaction, but I fhall unite with them in the "ftricteft engagements for continuing the alliance, in order "to render the general peace fecure and lafting.

"The best way to have this treaty effectual, will be to "make early provifion for the campaign. Therefore, I "muft afk of you, gentlemen of the house of commons, the "neceflary fupplies for the next year's war; and I do most "earneftly recommend to you, to make fuch dispatch therein, 66 as may convince our enemies, that, if we cannot obtain a good peace, we are prepared to carry on the war with ❝ vigour.

"Whatever you give, will fill be in your power to apply; and I doubt not, but, in a little time after the "opening of the treaty, we fhall be able to judge of its

46 event.

1711.

Reflections on it.

Burnet.

Debate

arcut a

claufe of

tingham.

Pr. H. L.

My lords and gentlemen,

"As I have had your chearful affiftance for the carrying "on this long and chargeable war, fo I affure myself, "that no true proteftant, or good fubject, will envy Bri"tain or Me the glory and fatisfaction of ending the fame by a juft and honourable peace for Us and all our "allies.

"Such a peace will give new life to our foreign trade

;

and I fhall do my utmost to improve that happy oppor"tunity to encourage our home-manufactures, which will "tend to the easing my subjects in that exceffive charge, "they now lie under, in maintaining the poor, and to correct and redrefs fuch abuses, as may have crept into any "part of the adminiftration during fo long a war.

"I cannot conclude, without earnestly recommending to you all unanimity; and that you will carefully avoid 46 every thing, which may give occafion to the enemy to "think us a people divided amongft ourselves, and con"fequently prevent our obtaining that good peace, of “which we have such reasonable hopes, and fo near a ❝ view.

"I pray God direct your confultations to this end, that, being delivered from the hardships of war, you may be66 come a happy and a flourishing people."

This fpeech gave occafion to many reflections. The arts of thofe, who delighted in war,' feemed to be levelled at the duke of Marlborough, and the preliminaries concerted at the Hague; and her faying, that the allies expreffed

their intire confidence in her,' amazed all those who knew that neither the emperor, nor the empire, had agreed to the congrefs, but were oppofing it with great vehemence; and that even the states-general were far from being cordial or eafy in the steps they had made.

As foon as the queen had ended her fpeech, fhe retired into a room, and, having taken off her robes, came back ered by the incognito to the houfe of peers, both to hear the debates, Sarl of Not--and, by her prefence, to moderate any heats, that might arife; which, however, was by fome obferved to be unusual on the day the fovereign opens a feflion of parliament. The earl of Ferrers having made a motion for an address of thanks to the queen for her fpeech, the earl of Nottingham rofe up, and very copiously fet forth the infufficiency and • captioufness

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captioufness of the late preliminaries; made a lively repre- 1711. <fentation of the danger of treating upon fo precarious a foundation; urged the exprefs engagements, which GreatBritain had entered into with the allies, to reftore the in• tire monarchy of Spain to the house of Auftria; and the neceffity of carrying on the war with vigour, till thofe engagements were made good:' adding, that, though he had a numerous family, he would readily contribute • half his income towards it, rather than acquiefce in a < peace, which he thought unfafe and dishonourable to his country and all Europe.' He concluded with offering a clause to be inferted in the addrefs of thanks, to reprefent to her majesty, as the humble opinion and advice of the houfe, that no peace could be fafe or honourable to GreatBritain, or Europe, if Spain and the Weft-Indies were allotted to any branch of the house of Bourbon.' The lord Guernsey, brother to the earl of Nottingham, faid, that • fuch a clause was foreign to an address of thanks: that, in all probability, few of the members of the house were prepared to speak to it; but that it might be debated at a more convenient time, when, according to custom, the house fhould take into confideration the ftate of the na'tion.' He was feconded by the lord North and Grey, and another pe ; and the lord treasurer added, that, according to the rules and orders of the house, this was not the proper time to debate fuch a motion.' Upon this the earl of Wharton appealed to the houfe, whether there were any fuch order? and, the duke of Buckingham, the most verfed in parliamentary proceedings, having over-ruled the treasurer's objection, the earl of Wharton proceeded; spoke with great zeal against the preliminary articles offered by France; and infifted upon the neceffity of inferting in the address the claufe offered by the earl of Nottingham. He was fupported by the earl of Sunderland, who answered the objection raifed by fome peers of the oppofite fide, namely, that they were not prepared to fpeak to that motion: "What, my lords, faid he, is it poffible, that any member "of this illuftrious house fhould be unprepared to debate an "affair, which, for these ten years paft, has been the principal fubject-matter of our confultations? do not we fit in "the fame houfe? and, are we not the fame peers, who have conftantly been of opinion, and have often repre"fented to her majefty, that no fafe and honourable peace "can be made, unlefs Spain and the Weft-Indies be re❝ covered from the house of Bourbon? It is true, I fee fome 66 now

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