for continuing the additional Duty of Excise, to enable his majesty to borrow 200,000l. at 7 per cent.

Resolved also, "That the Thanks of this house be presented to his majesty, for laying before them his majesty's sense of the posture of affairs abroad; and to let his majesty know, that, in order to his majesty's Preparations, in pursuance of the Address of this house, for the Safety of the Kingdom, they have provided a security of 200,000. And that whatsoever of that sum shall be expended accordingly, shall be by them reimbursed: and whensoever the posture of his majesty's affairs shall require their attendance in parliament, they will be ready to aid and assist him, as the nature of his majesty's Affairs shall require." And a Committee was appointed to draw up an Address, pursuant to the said Vote."

from it. The more the danger is, it is ten times more necessary that you should do something; and it is never too late, till all be gone. He is raw and imperfect in what to move; but wishes, from his soul, this Message had been sent 3 days ago. You have given the king Money for 30 Ships, and that cannot be laid out for that purpose under 3 years. He hears it talked of, that Oct. may be soon enough to meet again.' But the day before to-morrow is not soon enough. You are in danger of being lost before Oct. If it concur with the rules of the house, he would make no scruple to move, That the king may have power to make use of some part of that Money, with our promise to reimburse it again, upon this occasion.' The king seems to be willing we should sit after Easter, that we may be witnesses, in a short time, how far he has gone in our Addresses; and hopes he meant to ripen that matter, that you may be witnesses he has done his utmost. He desires we may adjourn before Easter, with this reservation, That, if the king see cause sooner than Oct. he may "May it please your most excellent majesty; call us by proclamation, at 20 days notice, to We, your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subgive him farther aid.' A little of that alreadyjects, the commons in this present parliament given may help him and the confederates. A little money may go a great way: but he will not go farther than 200,000l.

Sir Tho. Lee. As for the motion of 200,000l. it is not possible to be done; for you must bave a prorogation for altering the day in the Tax-bill; as it may be of dangerous consequence for the lords to do it. The king may destroy your Adjournment by proclamation. He is informed there must be a special act of parliament for doing it, viz. for calling that parliament in the interval of adjournment.

Sir Eliab Harvey. Is our Fleet, that we have given money to let out, and the Excise, a secret to the king of France? And is not that making war? Can the Fleet go incognito? He would have nothing said of secrecy. If occasion be, we may meet particularly on that account. and none else.

We are

Sir Tho. Lee. It is said, We should meet after Easter, in relation to Public Bills; but he is against it, unless, withal, the Money-Bills may lie on the table. He speaks against the offer of any Public Bills whatever. embarrassed in foreign business, and all for want of confidence, lest the money should be for some ill intent, and not have the direct fruit of it. If, on the other hand, we show coldness or tergiversation in the house, it is the ruin of us all. He is in suspense what to do, and how. He could have wished the paper from the king had been sent sooner. He shall, for the present, move, to consider the thing farther to-morrow morning.' The Paper has been considered, and well weighed, by the king's council; he would do so too here; and hopes we shall do like Englishmen.-The farther debate was adjourned till to-morrow.

April 12. After having resumed the adjourned debate on the king's Message, it was resolved, "That a Clause be added to the Bill

The Commons' further Address respecting Alliances.] April 13. Sir John Trevor reported the Address, which was read, and agreed to by the house, and is as follows:

assembled, do, with great satisfaction of mind, observe the regard your majesty is pleased to express to our former Addresses, by intimating to us the late Alteration in Affairs abroad; and do return our most humble Thanks for your majesty's gracious offer made to us thereupon, in your last Message. And having taken a serious deliberation of the same, and of the Preparations your majesty hath therein intimated to us, were fitting to be made, in order to these public ends, we have, for the present, provided a security in a Bill for an additional Duty of Excise, upon which your majesty may raise the sum of 200,000l. And if your maj. shall think fit to call us together again, for this purpose, in some short time after Easter, by any public signification of your majesty's pleasure commanding our attendance, we shall, at our next meeting, not only be ready to reimburse your majesty what sums of money shall be expended upon such extraordinary Preparations, as shall be made in pursuance of our former Addresses; but shall likewise, with most chearful hearts, proceed both then, and at all other times, to furnish your maj. with so large proportions of Assistances and Supplies, upon this occasion, as may give your majesty, and the whole world, an ample testimony of our loyalty and affection to your majesty's service; and may enable your majesty,, by the help of Almighty God, to maintain such stricter Alliances, as you shall have entered into, against all opposition whatsoever."

The King's Answer.] April 16. Mr. Sec. Williamson delivered the following Message from his majesty :

"C. R. His majesty, having considered the Answer of this house to his last Message, about enabling him to make fitting Preparations for the security of these kingdoms, finds by it, That they have only enabled him to borrow

have met, if Alliances were not fit to be declared, nor ripe to be told us; being not fit to alarm our neighbours, but so that all may enter into the war together; for it is feared it should alarm France. If it were in his choice, he would rather have him alarmed in summer than in winter, when his armies are in the field, and employed. In winter, the French king has no other employment. Is it a less alarm to give money to support Alliances, than to declare war? if Alliances are not made, we are come too soon. Perhaps a post or two may ripen Alliances fit for imparting; and moves to adjourn to Thursday.

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bours, as we did before, when we wanted alli- | Alliances to be made; and we needed not ances. He moves, that we may go into a committee of the whole house, for the more free and full debate of the thing; and that it may be scanned where our interest lies. As to France's growing greatness, it being greater than is consistent with the interest of England, he would know how he came by that power, that, as he has it, he may be reduced back again. As to his number of shipping, his purse is too big for us; and if an Alliance with Holland be not secured, we can never combat both their fleets. It is the interest of Holland to be ready to join with us, and we with them; and, if joined, France can never come up to us, in number or force; and so we may preserve the Netherlands. He would have the house go into a grand committee, fairly and calmly to debate of Alliances; and if that way will not do, he will go what way you please. Mr. Sec. Williamson. He is not against the motion, if the thing were not already done. We are off of that of Alliances.' It has been already debated, and addressed to the king, and a return of Answer upon it; and the matter is gone beyond debating. The last return from the king to your Address, was, He would do what you advised him; and without such a sum of money, or credit for it, he could not speak nor act the request of your Addresses.' This being a continuation of parliament, Sacheverell's motion is over entirely. The question is, plainly and nakedly, What will you do? in matter of Alliances, the king tells you, He cannot act nor speak of it, without being farther in a condition of owning it abroad.' And the thing can adinit of no other Answer than is already given by the king.

Sir Wm. Coventry hopes no time has been lost, since we met last; and hopes that what we then desired is done, though not told us in what manner. He finds himself to have the same inclinations he had before, and has ever since persisted in them, and hopes he shall never waver. The thing is rightly stated. To enquire what Alliances we have entered into, since we met last, is not our question; or whether peace be properly Alliances; but our present purpose is, whether the Alliances, that require the assistance of the house to maintain them, are proportionable to our ends in our Address; and if they appear to be so, he will then not be wanting to support them. It has been said, The matter requires more time to finish, than this intermission of 5 weeks.' But our first Address was a longer time before than since the recess. He has heard, that the Triple Alliance was made in 5 days, when Holland had peace, and no more need of our alliance than France had. Can any man think that Holland requires your Alliance less now, than when they were in peace? he cannot imagine it hard, in time of war, to admit of a confederate, the Triple Alliance being done in 5 days. The king's ministers know their time best; therefore we mentioned no time for our recess; and, by the time we met, we expected

Sir John Ernly hears it said, If we are entered into war, we know what to give.' The king tells you, he cannot stir one step farther without 600,000l.' He wishes that Alliances might be made without blood; but he understands them not. With Spain you cannot make one step farther than is upon you already, but what must produce blood. That step is a war. He comes not here to ask money, but we cannot be insensible of our own weakness. We want ships and stores, and the king has used all his credit, but cannot get any thing from the city, but doubtful answers from the lord mayor. There are 42 ships ready, and there are 30 more preparing; and if all you have given had been in ready money, there could not have been taken a better course: all 30 ready in 12 weeks; and stores, as far as credit will go, are taken care for; and if, in this case you are in at this present time, you will go farther, you must assist the king.-Whereas gentlemen say, You are, as to ships, in as good a posture as you were a year ago, he knows that ships are forced to beg press-warrants, by reason of many seamen being gone out, having no other employment than in merchant-ships.

Mr. Sec. Coventry. The king says, 'without a Fund of 600,000%. he cannot act nor speak, &c.' And we cannot farther urge the thing, unless we give the king a reason for what we advise. It is the happiness of the kingdom, that the king either by reason brings us to his opinion, or we bring him to ours in this thing.

Mr. Mallet. All we do is insignificant, if we know not what Alliances are made. The king may act and speak' out, if he pleases; and we may have assurance mutual, that it is to support the Protestant cause.

Sir Tho. Littleton remembers, Grotius says, in his book De Jure Belli et Pacis,' on the causes of making war, If a prince makes extraordinary preparations, or any thing tending to it, it is not only a just cause for his neighbouring prince to arm, for jealousy of his safety, but, unless he desists that preparation, to make war upon him.' The use he makes of it is this; that the king of France has a vigilant council, and a watchful eye upon the king, and our Messages to him, and his Answers, and on the king's demand of 600,000l. When this was on foot, it is not to be imagined but

abate the pride, assuage the malice, and confound the devices' of the king of France. Plainly, he desires, as Harvey has moved, That we may make an Address to the king, to make a league, offensive and defensive, with the States of Holland, against the king of France.'

Mr. Sec. Coventry hears a proposition made, that he never heard of before, To enter into a league, offensive and defensive,' without any treaty ever made; and another gentleman moves for a league to be made with the confederates.' You will never see a precedent of any such vote.

Mr. Sec. Williamson. Some are jealous, as if the king does call for Money for other ends than you desire. The king tells you, That, in the interim of your parting, he has not lost one day in doing what you have desired.' He takes notice of one motion for a league with Holland, offensive and defensive,' and another with the Confederates, &c.' He knows not how this can be made any part of the king's Speech. It is a great goodness, that the king has so graciously answered us; and let us not go farther than becomes this loyal house of commons; that we may expect to be gratified in a thing we strain not too much. Under 600,000l. the king can do nothing; and that is the naked thing before you, and proper for your consideration.

Mr. Sacheverell would gladly have shown him how they can employ 600,000/. in making such Alliances. Whilst this Alliance is mak ing, do they think to be ready by winter, and fight in the spring, and let Flanders be lost, and then be put to get it again? Is this the meaning? Give 600,000l. to be in the hands of that Council, which broke the Triple League, and greatened France! What instance can be given, that those gentlemen have changed their principles? Men are still sent out of Ireland and Scotland, and arms out of the stores in England; and they persuade the king, that nothing can be done without 600,000l. Let them not dally with us, and put us off thus with fair promises, as they have done. When peace was made with Holland, we desired it exclusive to France. It was said then, trust the king;' and you were deceived then : will you be deceived twice? Let them own Alliances, and we are for them. If not, he would not give them a penny.

Mr. Williams. What has been said to us in speech, discourse, or message, is not to be looked upon as the king's. He gives them their true weight; they are the product of councils. Therefore he would begin where we ought, from whence it comes. We agree, in the main, for the safety of the kingdom. In some measure, the king is of our opinion. The thing we are to do, is to stop the power of Mr. Sacheverell. The honour of the house France, which intimidates every man. We is always to be preserved, and the good opinion have addressed, but, it seems, too generally of the king and people; and it will be so, to go about Alliances. But let us be against the by the same steps as when you were here last: Growth and Power of France, this day, or to tell the king what Alliances you mean. uever. And he will give all he has to defend delay there will be danger, and the season of us, expressly in opposition to the French greatthe year will be spent. When the king im-ness; either for an Alliance with Holland, or parts those Alliances to us, then we may assist the Confederates. Till then, he will not give him in the support of them. a penny.

In

Sir Christ. Musgrave. Can the king make you any other Answer than what he has done already? There is no proper question before you, but, how to enable the king to enter into Alliances.

Sir Tho. Meres is not for a negative. The house has ready declared how Money may be had; by declaring Alliances.' But it has been answered twice, No; Alliances cannot be declared till we give Money.' He would know what we are called together for now, by proclamation. He conceives we are now here to give an Answer to the king's Speech when we were here last.

Mr. Sec. Coventry. When you rose last, you were not a sufficient number to answer for the whole kingdom; therefore you then were adjourned. So that you are at a stand, till you enable the king to act and speak,' as he tells you.

Sir Tho. Meres believes, the king will be convinced by our reasons. We were, when we met last, willing to give the king credit, till 200,000l. was expended, in maintaining the Alliances we desired. And by this time we expected Alliances should be told us. But he finds not one step of Alliances made.

Mr. Mallet. King James was said to be 'the Solomon of his age.' Our king is heir to his virtues. There is something more recorded of Solomon; he fell to strange Counsels by strange women. And we cannot repose any confidence in the king, if he puts his counsel into strange women.' If they be left, God will bless his Counsels.

Sir Tho. Meres. There are but two ways, either to defend ourselves from France, or comply with him. When we are afraid of a man, we either get his good-will, or take away his power. There are but these two ways. He would fain let his good-will alone a year or two longer.

Lord Cavendish hears it called the king's Speech,' though he thinks it rather the product of ill counsel: 600,000l. is demanded to enter into and declare Alliances, because the king, by chance, may be engaged into a war. It is an ill precedent to charge the people, because the king may have a war; they may be so charged for the future. If the consequence of such Alliances must be a war, it is better now the French hands are full, and no danger of invasion, if the king makes those Alliances that we would now make. He hears' great diffi