12th of November; when the Earl of Mid. 4.D 1685. dleton made the fame Motion again; adding, 1 Fac. 2. That the Militia could not be depended upon, while both France and Holland had fuch nume- Debates rous Forces on foot; and therefore it was about keeping up a abfolutely neceffary they fhould affent to his Standing Majefty's encreafing his Forces in Proportion, Army. and give him a Supply anfwerable to his Wants: That there was ftill a bitter Spirit in the Nation, the Principles of the Rebel Party being, Never to repent: That an Inland might be invaded, notwithstanding they had a Fleet; and therefore urged again, That a Standing Force was neceffary.

make the

To which it was anfwered, That the Militia was not fo contemptible a Force as was reprefented: That they had done great things in the late Civil Wars, and had now prevented Monmouth's poffeffing himfelf of Bristol and Exeter; and that if the Militia were not equal to other Troops, they might be made fo: And it was propofed to bring in a Bill for making A Bill prothe Militia more ufeful; for if they were well pofed to modelled, and commanded by Gentlemen of Eftates and Intereft in their Country, both more ufethe King and People would be fecure: There ful. was no better Security for a Man's Loyalty, or for his exerting himfelf in Defence of his Country, than a good Eftate: On the con- The Dantrary, the keeping up a Standing Army, was ger of a Standing the maintaining fo many idle Fellows to do- Army. mineer and give Law to their Fellow-Subjects, who debauched the Manners of the People, and from whom their Wives and Daughters were not fecure: That if they established a Standing Army, it would be no more in their Power to disband them: As Money could raife an Army, fo an Army could raife Money: 002

The

A.D.1685 The Parliament would be rendered useless, and the People become fubje& to a Body of MerJac. 2. cenaries, the Civil to the Military Powers: There had not wanted Inftances of Armies turning Parliaments out of Doors that created and established them: The Militia were the only Forces known to the Conftitution, and wanted nothing but new modelling to make them as useful and formidable to their Enemies as ever: That they had rather pay double therefore to the Militia, from whom they feared nothing, than to a Body of Men that must be a perpetual Terror to them; and that five or fix thousand Soldiers had been thought fufficient for the Support of the Government in the late Reign, when the French and Dutch were no lefs powerful than they were at present. HowA Supply ever, when the Supply came to be voted, they agreed to give his Majefty 700,000l. inftead of 1,200,000, which the Miniftry demanded. They de But as to the King's difpenfing with the Teft, clareagainft and retaining Popish Officers, they unanimouffufpending ly declared against it. They faid, that this was Laws and difpenfing with all the Laws at once; that in Teft. the Debates in the Bill of Exclufion it had

voted.

the Penal

been urged, That if we had a Popish Prince, we should have a Popish Army; which was now about to be verified: It was remembered alfo that the Lord Chancellor told them when the Teft-Act paffed, They had provided against Popery, for no Papist could now poffibly creep into Employment; and yet they faw that Law already rendered ineffectual: That their All was ftruck at; and they wondered that any Men against his dare take Commiffions, without being qualiMajefty's fied for them. They prefented an Address employing therefore to his Majefty, wherein they offerficers. ed to indemnify the Recufant Officers by A&t

Addrefs

Popish Of

of

of Parliament for what was paffed; but defi- 4.D.1685. red he would not continue any Recufants in 1 Fac. 2.

Office for the future; or to that Effect.

with it.

To which his Majefty answered, That he His Majedid not expect fuch an Addrefs from the ty dif pleased Houfe of Commons; That he had warned them of Fears and Jealoufies, and had Reason to hope the Reputation God had blessed him with in the World would have confirmed their Confidence in him; but, however they proceeded on their Part, he would be fteady to all the Promises he had made them.

This Answer being read in the House, a long Silence followed; but at length a Member moved, That a Day might be appointed to confider of the Anfwer; which was feconded by Mr. Coke, who added, He hoped they were all true Englishmen, and not to be frighted out of their Duty by a few hard Words: For which they thought fit to fend Mr. Coke to the Tower, the Courtiers reprefenting the Words as a Reflexion on his Majefty, and tending to create a Misunderstanding between him and the Commons: However, they fhewed no manner of Difpofition to acquiefce in his Majefty's however, him great Un- remain difpenfing Power, which gave eafinefs.

The Com

mons,

fteady.

their Pri

The Lords alfo thought their Privileges in- The Lords vaded, by the Earl of Stamford and the Lord complain Delamere's being committed to the Tower ever vileges fince July laft, and neither brought to their were invaded. Trials, nor admitted to Bail, or fuffered to attend the Parliament; and the Earl of Stam- The Earl ford, upon his Petition, being brought before of Stamford's Trial the Houfe, the Lords ordered his Trial to be ordered. on the first of December; the Lords with the White Staffs being ordered to defire his Majesty, that a Place might be erected in West

minster

1 Jac. 2.

4.D.168 minster-Hall for the Trial; with which, his Majefty anfwered, he would comply; but being out of Temper with both Houfes, notwithstanding the Commons were actually settling a Fund for railing the 700,000 7. they The Par had voted, he prorogued the Parliament on liament the 20th of November to the 10th of February. prorogued. Some few Alterations were made a little after Sunderland in the Miniftry; the Earl of Sunderland, PrinPrefident cipal Secretary of State, was made Prefident Council, of the Council; and the Earl of Clarendon, Clarendon Lord Privy Seal, being conftituted Lord LieuLord Lieu- tenant of Ireland, the Privy Seal was put in Commiffion during his Abfence. And on the eighth of January the Parliament was further prorogued to the 10th of May; and fo from time to time for about two Years, being never fuffered to meet again.

of the

tenant of

Ireland.

Lord Delamere's Trial

And now the King thought fit to conftitute a High Steward for the Trial of the Lord Delamere on the 14th of February, an Indictment of High-Treafon having been found against his Lordship by the Grand Jury of Cheshire, for Confpiring the Death of his prefent Majefty; and to that end confulting with Charles Gerrard Efq; and other Traitors, to raife Money and Men to make a Rebellion. to feize the City and Castle of Chefter, &c. And one Saxon made Oath of a Correfpondence held between the Lord Delamere and the He is ac- Duke of Monmouth: But Saxon being the only quitted. pofitive Witnefs against the Prifoner, and his Evidence difproved in fome Particulars, the Earl of Lord Delamere was acquitted. As to the Earl Stamford of Stamford, who had been imprifoned feveral pardoned. Months as an Accomplice in the fame Treafon, he was admitted to Bail the 17th of February; and the King publishing a General

Pardon

Pardon the 10th of March, the Earl took the 4D.1686. Benefit of it.

2 Fac. 2.

The Parliament of Scotland affembling on the 29th of April, 1686, his Majefty, as ufual, The King fent them a Letter, wherein he recommended propofes to indulge to them the Repealing or Mitigating the Laws the Papists against his loyal and innocent Catholick Sub- in Scotland. jects; and to induce them to comply with his Majefty's Defire, the Earl of Murray, the High Commiffioner, let them know, that his Majefty defigned to open a free Trade between that Kingdom and England, to improve their Trade with France and the Netherlands, to prohibit the Importation of Irish Cattle and Provifions; and promifed they should have a Mint allowed them for Coinage, the want of which had been very prejudicial to their Traffick; and told them, That the King would demand no Supplies of them this Seffions, but on the contrary, to make all his Subjects eafy, he would grant a General Free Pardon: In return for all which, his Majefty only defired they would grant fome Indulgence to the loyal Roman Catholicks of that Kingdom.

the Parlia

A Committee being appointed to confider To which of the Letter and Speech, it was thought pro- ment being per to allow the Papifts the Exercife of their averfe, are Religion in private, but not to repeal the prorogued. Acts that had been made against their exercifing it publickly: However, the Houfe did not appear enclined to agree with the Committee in this; on the contrary, very fevere Speeches were made against the tolerating Popery: Whereupon it was thought fit to prorogue the Parliament. In Ireland, however, the King appeared to Popery in have great Hopes, not only of feeing his Reli- Ireland.

Attempts

to establish