6 1708. had to fay, why Execution fhould not be awarded A. C. against him; he faid, in his Defence, That he was neither in Arms, nor in Council with the Enemy, but was forc'd, by the French Court, upon the Expedition, intirely againft his Judgment and Inclination; notwithstanding he had exprefs'd his Diflike of it, as a rafh and foolish Attempt: Adding, he threw himself at the Queen's Feet for Mercy, and hop'd the Favour of the Court. His Defence being judg'd entirely foreign to the Outlawry,upon which he was brought to the Bar, the Court made a Rule for his Execution, as is ufual in fuch A Rule Cafes: But tho' the Queen not without fome his Execu made for Struggle between her inbred Clemency and Juftice, tion. was prevail'd with to fign the Warrant for Sentence to pafs upon him on the 16th of June; yet He is rehis advanced Age ftill pleading for him, he found priev'd Mercy in the Royal Breaft; fo that a Reprieve for from Months a Fortnight was fent the Night before to the Tower, to Month. and that Expiring, the laft Day of June, was then renew'd, and afterwards continued from Month to Month, till the writing of * these Papers. * April 3. On the 20th of May, Mainhard Duke of Schon- Privy berg, and John Smith, Efq; late Speaker of the Houfe Counsellors of Commons, (and who, about this Time, was Sworn, conftituted Under-Treasurer, and Chancellor of the May 20. Exchequer, in the room of Mr. Secretary Boyle) Mr. Smith were fworn of her Majefty's Privy-Council; and madeChanthe fame Day, William Blathwait, Efq; was fworn cellor of the one of the Clerks of the Council in Ordinary, and Exchequ. James Vernon, Efq; fworn Extraordinary. The 26th of the fame Month, Charles Duke of Somerset was likewife fworn of her Majefty's Privy-Council; and in that Interval was publifh'd her Majefty's Pro- Proclama clamation, Appointing the Distribution of Prizes taken, tion for the and the Bounty for Taking Ships of War or Privateers of Distribu the Enemies, according to an Act pass'd the laft Seftion of fion, for the better Securing the Trade of this Kingdom Prizes, da by Cruizers and Convoys. Towards the latter end of 20. 1708. May, the Queen was pleafed to grant to James Duke of Queensberry, the Dignities of a Baron, Mar- The Duke of quis and Duke of Great Britain, by the Name, Stile, Queensand Title of Baron of Rippon, and Marquis of Be- berry verly in the County of York, and Duke of Dover in made D. of the County of Kent. All ted May Dover. A. C. All this while the Elections for the enfuing Par1708. liament fucceeded in moft Places, according to the Wishes of the Well-affected to the prefent SettleElections ment; and 'tis remarkable, That Sir Edmund Denfor the En- ton, Bar. and Richard Hambden Efq; being chofen fuing Par- Knights of the Shire for the County of Buckingham, the following Inftructions were deliver'd to them by the Electors: liament. Inftructions to theKnts. for Buckinghamfhire. L 6 Gentlemen, THE Unanimous Choice that we have made of you, to reprefent us in the enfuing Parlia ment, is a fufficient Demonftration of the good Opinion we have both of your Integrity and Sufficiency for fo great a Truft; yet, we cannot but think it neceffary to put you in mind of fome few Particulars, which we apprehend, at this time, to be of the utmoft Confequence for the good of the Publick. 1 1. In the firft Place, we defire, that you would apply your felves, in a particular manner, to take care that the Strength and Difcipline of the Navy may be reftored; and by that means, the Trade of the United Kingdom may be more effectually encouraged and protected. 2. That you require an exact Accompt of the Difpofition of all publick Money, that what is paid with fo much Chearfulness, tho' under fo many Difficulties, may appear to be duly ap-. plied. 'That you will not fail fo effectually to enable the Government to profecute the War with France, as that we may not be under the Neceflity of hearkening to any Propofal of Peace, till the Proteftant Succeffion be out of Danger of being diftur bed, and the whole Spanish Monarchy be restored to the Houfe of Auftria. 4. That the Union of the Two Kingdoms may be fo firmly establish'd, that thofe of North-Britain may be fecured from the Hardfhip they have la boured under; and that we may be capable of receiving and enjoying all the Benefits and Advantages which were propofed from fo Glorious and Happy an Union. 5. That 5. That you be careful to preferve the Ancient A. C. Constitution of the Government, especially that of 1708. Parliaments And that therefore, that dangerous Precedent of determining theRefolutions of Parliament, by Ballotting, may be no further countenanced, by which the Electors are deprived of the means of knowing after what manner the Reprefentatives difcharge themfelves of the great Truft that is repofed in them. On Sunday the 6th of June, Dr. William Fleetwood, The Bp. of was confecrated Bishop of St. Asaph, in Lambeth- St. Afaph Chappel; and two Days † after, an Oration fpoken + June 8. by F. Burchardus Menckemius, publick Profeffor of Hiftory, and Fellow of the Royal Society, at an Spoken at Act of the University of Leipfick, kept on St. Ann's Leipfick Day, in Honour of her Majefty, and the British prefented to Nation, on the Occafion of the Union of England the Queen. and Scotland, was prefented to her Majefty by Dr. John Woodward of Gresham College, introduc'd by the Right Honourable Henry Boyle, Efq; one of her Majefty's Principal Secretaries of State. He was alfo introduced to his Royal Highness the Prince, by the Right Honourable the Lord Delaware, Groom of the Stole to his Royal Highness. The fame Day, June 8.) her Majefty figned a Commissio Warrant, conftituting Edmund Williamfon, Gregory ners for King, and William Vanbrugh, Efquires, Commiflio- ftating the Debts of K. ners for Stating the Accompts of Officers and Sol- William. diers, and the Civil Lift, to the Death of the late King William; and about the fame time, Colonel New BrigaHolmes, Colonel Rook, and Colonel Whetham, were diers Ge appointed Brigadiers-General of her Majefty's neral. Forces., rons of the On the 17th of June, Sir Salathtel Lovel, Knt. Re Sir Sal. corder of the City of London, was made one of the Lovel Barons of the Exchequer; and, the fame Day, the made one great Meeting of the Nobility of North-Britain, was, of the Ba according to her Majefty's Proclamation, held at Exche. Edinburgh, and lafted till near Two-a-Clock the quer. next Morning; when, after long Debates, and feve Scotch ral Proteftations, particularly, one against the Lord Peers cho Seafield, whom they would have to lofe his Peerage, fen, Jung because he was Lord Chief Baron, the following 17. Noblemen were elected, viz. E Voices. It is to be obferv'd, That Twelve of these Peers fat in the laft Parliament of Great Britain, the four New ones being, Duke Hamilton, and the Earls of Rothes, Northesk, and Orkney; who were elected in the Room of the Duke of Queensberry, (who was to fit in the Lords Houfe as Duke of Dover) the Marquis of Tweedale, and the Earls of Southerland, and The Queen Stairs. On the 26th of June, the Queen, with her and Prince Royal Confort, went from Kenfington to Windsor, go to in order to spend there Part of the Summer: So that Windfor. having taken a View of Domeftick Occurrences, till this Time, we may now attend foreign Affairs. The Duke of The Storm that threatned Great Britain being hapMarlbo- pily difpelled, and the neceffary Meafures for the rough embarks for Security of the Government, taken, his Grace the Holland, Duke of Marlborough fet out from London, on MonMarch29; day the 29th of March, very early in the Morning; O. S, and and having reach'd Margate, embark'd there that arrives at Evening, and the next Day, at Two in the Afterthe Hague, noon, came in Sight of the Coast of Holland; but April 10, there being no Pilot to carry in the Yatch, his N. S. Grace came in an open Boat, with Oars, to MaefPrince Eu-land-Sluys, from whence he arriv'd, late that Night, to the at the Hague. Prince Eugene of Savoy, who came Hague, to that Place Two Days before, upon Notice of April 8. his Grace's Arrival, fent him immediately a Com gene comes N. S. pliment, pliment, letting him know, that he would make A. C. him a Vifit about Nine-a-Clock the next Morning; 1708. but his Grace prevented him, and at Eight went Marlbo to fee the Prince, who return'd the Vifit about Conferen Noon; and then they went together to the great ces between Penfionary Heinfins. They were entertain'd at Din-him, the ner by the Baron de Bothmar, Envoy from the Duke of Elector of Hanover; whither vaft Crowds of People reforted to fee thofe Two Great Generals, particu-and the rough, larly Prince Eugene; who having never before been sStates Dein Holland, raifed in all the Inhabitants of that Coun- puties. try an eager Curiofity to behold him, which lafted as long as he continued there. The next Day, in† Apr.12. the Evening, there was a great Conference between N. S. Prince Eugene, the Duke of Marlborough, the States Deputies for Private Affairs, and the great Penfionary, in the Chamber of Triers, the ufual Place for Conferences in the States Apartment; which was pitch'd upon to avoid the Trouble of the Ceremonial; for, otherwise, it must have been at the D. of Marlborough's, as Ambaffador Extraordinary; whereas Prince Eugene had no Character, his Credentials importing only, That his Imperial Majefty had fent his firft Counsellor, Prefident of the Council of War, and General Lieutenant, Prince Eugene, to concert the Operations of the Campaign, in whom "the States were defired to put an entire Confidence. Affoon as they were enter'd the Room, the Duke of Marlborough, in a very civil manner, took Prince Eugene by the Hand, and led him to a Seat above his own; after which, the States Deputies placed themfelves, without obferving any Precedency amongst them. Prince Eugene open'd the Conference with a Speech; wherein, in a plain, natural, but pathetick manner, he gave a particular Account of the Emperor's Forces in Naples, Lombardy, and Piedmont, and of thofe defign'd for Spain, and having mention'd the Troops which his Imperial Majefty intended to employ in Germany, he gave, in very modeft Terms, his own Opinion of the Operations of the next Campaign, both on the Upper Rhine, and the Low-Countries. Concluding, That he had Inftructions from his Imperial Majefty, to use his Endeavours to engage the Queen of Great-Britain, and the States General to |