somewhat whimsically, though very deservedly, BOOK VI. committed the famous decree of the university of 1709. Oxford, passed near thirty years before, asserting the absolute authority and indefeasible right of princes.

This mild sentence cast an air of ridicule over Great Popularity of the whole proceedings, and was considered as the Tories. equivalent to an acquittal by the tory faction, who celebrated their triumph by bonfires and illuminations, not only in London, but over the whole kingdom. These rejoicings were succeeded by numerous addresses, expressive of a zealous attachment to the church, and an utter detestation of all anti-monarchical and republican principles. And in a progress which Sacheverel afterwards made into a remote part of the country, he was sumptuously entertained by the university of Oxford, invited to the palaces of different noblemen, received in many towns by the magistrates in their formalities, and generally attended by a numerous escort of horse. In other places the hedges were ornamented with garlands of flowers, the steeples were covered with streamers and flags, and the air every where resounded with the cry of "The church and Sacheverel." The enthusiasm spread like a contagion through all ranks and orders of people. Men seemed to suffer a temporary dereliction of sense and understanding, and the mob

1709.

BOOK VI, and the nation were for a time terms of the same import. No martyr suffering in the glorious cause of civil and religious liberty was ever perhaps so much the object of public applause and veneration as this wretched and fanátical preacher of nonsense, impiety, and sedition.

Entire

Change of

tration.

Encouraged by the disposition now universally Adminis- prevalent, the queen gave the first public indication of her total change of system by dismissing the marquis of Kent, April 1710, and giving the office of chamberlain to the duke of Shrewsbury. This nobleman, after passing some years on the continent, had recently returned to England; and, to the great chagrin of the whigs, had on all the late questions voted with the tories-probably as the rising party-and probably also much dissatisfied with the flagrant indiscretions, and late violent conduct, of the ministers. lord treasurer, to whom the queen had by letter communicated her intention on the eve of its execution, and her pretended hope that this change would meet with his approbation, too. well comprehending the meaning of it, wrote a strong expostulatory epistle to the queen; in which he expresses his "conviction that she was suffering herself to be guided to her own ruin and destruction, as fast as it was possible for those to compass it to whom she now seemed

The

so much to hearken." This letter made no im- BOOK VI. pression upon the queen, who had indeed dis- 1709. posed of the chamberlain's staff two days before she received it. About the beginning of June the design of dismissing the earl of Sunderland began to be publicly talked of; on which the duke of Marlborough, then abroad, wrote to the queen, stating in the most energetic terms the pernicious consequences of this step, and "the alarm and distrust it would excite in all foreign courts." The duchess of Marlborough also most injudiciously and officiously interposed in behalf of the earl, making it "her last request, that her majesty would defer the blow till the end of the campaign. This," she added, "she begged upon her knees." This meanness might perhaps hasten, certainly it did not retard, the execution of the design; for on the 14th of June lord Sunderland was dismissed, and the seals given to the earl of Dartmouth. A step so decisive gave the utmost alarm to the whole whig party, at whose suggestion, probably, count Gallas, the imperial minister, and M. Vryberg, the Dutch resident, represented to the queen the ill effects which a change of the ministry would produce on the whole political system. In answer to their respective memorials, intrusive and officious as they were deemed, the queen declared her resolution, whatever changes might be in

BOOK VI. contemplation, to continue the duke of Marl1709. borough in his employments. In August the lord high treasurer Godolphin was ordered to break his staff, and the treasury was put into commission-carl Paulet being appointed the first commissioner. But this appointment was considered as merely nominal; Mr. Harley, who was constituted chancellor of the exchequer, being regarded as chief, or rather sole minister. In October the queen came in person to the council, and ordered a proclamation to be issued for dissolving the parliament; upon which the lord chancellor rose to speak: but the queen declared that she would admit of no debate, for that such was her pleasure." At the same time she dismissed the lord Somers, and made the earl of Rochester president of the council. The duke of Buckingham was declared lord steward in the room of the duke of Devonshire. The seals in the possession of Mr. Boyle were given to Mr. St. John. The lord high chancellor Cowper was superseded by sir Simon Harcourt. The earl of Wharton resigned to the duke of Ormond the government of Ireland, and the earl of Orford relinquished his seat at the head of the admiralty, sir John Leake succeeding as first commissioner. The duke of Marlborough alone was still suffered to retain his employments, which he was deterred from resigning by the pressing entreaties of

1710.

the emperor and the States General, who conceiv- BOOK VL ed the fortune of the war to be in a great measure attached to his person.-The tories were in the highest degree elated at these changes, extolling the queen "for asserting her just prerogative, and setting herself free from an arbitrary junto, who kept her in an inglorious dependence on their will and caprice." And the duke of Beaufort congratulated her majesty " on his being now able to salute her queen."

ences of

vived at

denberg.

Early in the year 1710, M. Torcy sent another Conferproject of peace to M. Petkum, containing some Peace remodifications of the preliminary articles, and offer- Gertruying three fortified towns in Flanders as a pledge for the execution of the 37th article respecting the restitution of the monarchy of Spain. M. Petkum, having communicated with the pensionary and the plenipotentiaries of the emperor and the queen, returned an answer importing "that the allies required his Most Christian majesty should declare in plain and express words that he consented to all the preliminaries except the 37th article; which done, the allies would send passports to his ministers to treat of an equivalent for that article." The French king at length reluctantly assented to this proposition; and the maréchal d'Uxelles, and the abbé afterwards cardinal de Polignac, were appointed plenipotentiaries from his Most Christian majesty to