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Lord Cavendish. There is the greatest mis- | the end? Do you mean to treat so as not to chief that can be, for Holland to make a sepa- leave your prince any latitude, but that he rate peace with France. The danger is not must grant, or not graut? great with Spain, therefore to prevent that, we specify an Alliance with Holland.

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Mr. Harbord would ask a question: Is there no danger of our religion and property, but from France? And then when France is in peace, this startles him, that these Alliances may not be pursued. England is not safe, but by Alliance with Holland. Suppose there should be peace, the government of Flanders cannot support itself. To suppose the Spanish Netherlands, and Lorrain restored; Brisac de

Mr. Powle. The sum of the debate is leaving Holland out of the Address. Though he did not expect to meet with this opposition, yet, upon recollection, he can show precedents wherein the king has been advised to particular Alliances. In the 18th of k. James, the parliament advised him to break the Match with Spain, and to make a war, and they then ad-stroyed; Alsace and Maestrich restored; vised stricter Alliances with the States of Hol- would you then be safe? No more than now; land. In E. iii, R. ii, H. v, the parliament ad- because the French hands are full hands, and vised to make a League with the emperor, and money makes power. The French hath both. it was signed and ratified in parliament. He But suppose all these places lost by the French, will not wave these precedents, but he speaks yet they abstract one million sterling from us these a little timorously, having not lately pe- yearly, in trade, and he will govern your coun rused them. As for the argument of these cils every where. There is nothing to keep Addresses being against the prerogative,' kings him from hence, but making him poor, and have always laboured to invite this house to who can help you to do it, but the dutch? peace and war, because their judgment did im- Make a law to prohibit French trade; you port Supply, and they could not excuse giving need no wine, and few of his commodities; money to support it, where they had advised it. and France will grow poor, and we shall grow Our necessity of affairs brought us once to ano- rich, and if you send no forces into France, ther course, but if there were new precedents, and support Holland, the first hour you do this, new dangers must create new precedents, and your money will increase; and then we can a new way. But let any man show him a pre-put the king at ease, and pay his debts; and cedent, that we ever assisted a neighbour too never till then. potent for us already. Would have a precedent shown him, where, after a representation in parliament of the greatness of the French king, still sending men to his assistance has On a division, 182 were for the Address, and been continued, and they were not ill received 142 against it. About forty or fifty members at court, when they returned home. He were in the Speaker's chamber, and Court of knows not what reason we have to leave Hol- Requests, &c. who gave no voices at all. The land out of the Address, unless we have no in- Question was, for leaving out the words 'offentention to have Alliance with them at all. It sive and defensive, with the States of the is for the crown's advantage, and this is far United Provinces.' from intrenching upon the prerogative. Carew told you, There were more reasons for this Address than were expressed; and they were, why should we not trust the king? It is not fit to give them; but if they be pressed too much, he must give them. Though he will not say, We are not to trust the king, yet he will say, 'We are not to trust counsellors.'

Mr. Williams. When the king and council shall see the opinion of the house for an Alliance with Holland, he believes it will remove counsellors, or stop the mouths of them..

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Mr. Sec. Williamson. King James called for an opinion, in his Speech, from the house. He invited them to it, and the lords, that opened that parliament, said, The Temple of Janus must be opened, which has been long shut. If that be the case, he has reason to doubt that the obstacle in the manner may hinder the matter of the Address. The king asked your advice in the separate peace with Holland mentioned, but that is not the case. You are told, We would have it, because general Alliances may do no good, and not produce change of counsellors." But what effect, do you think, this will have, when such exceptions are taken at it, as áre likely to frustrate

Mr. Mallet. When the king is here, he is in his imperial seat; but when in his other council, he is in his ministerial.

Ordered, That the Secretaries of State, and Privy Counsellors of the house, be desired to know his majesty's pleasure, when he will be pleased to be attended with the Address.

May 26. His majesty appointed the house to attend him with their Address, at 3 in the afternoon, and the house being acquainted with the king's commands, they only passed the Bill for recalling his majesty's subjects out of the French king's Service, and ordered it to be carried up to the lords, with an express Order to their messengers to put the lords in mind of their Bill of Popery, which lay before their lordships. And so adjourned presently after ten o'clock till two in the afternoon, and then met and attended the king in the Banqueting House with their Address. To which his majesty, after hearing it read by the Speaker, said, "That the contents of it were long, and the matter of importance; and that he would take it into his consideration, and, with all convenient speed, return an Answer to it."

The King's Answer to the Address.] May 28. The house being met, the Speaker acquainted them with what the king had said to them, upon their Address, on Saturday; and immediately Mr. Secretary Coventry told

the Speaker, That the king commanded the house to attend him presently in the Banqueting House at Whitehall. Upon which the house went accordingly.

urgent occasions, in which case you shall have notice by proclamation."

The Parliament adjourned.] The commons then returned to their own house, where the Speaker reported the King's Speech as above.

Mr. Powle standing up to speak, the Speaker interrupted him, and said, ' I must hear no man speak, now the king's pleasure of adjourning the house is signified.'

Sir Tho. Lee. The act of adjourning the cannot be yours, Mr. Speaker, but the act of the house; and no question can be put, when a gentleman stands up to speak. Pray, let us keep methods, however.

The Speaker. When there is a command from the crown to adjourn, we are not to dispute about it, but to obey, and adjourn. After a command of this kind, there remains nothing for you to do but to execute it. Unless any man can show me a precedent to the contrary, you will put a hardship upon me to do otherwise.

And so the Speaker adjourned the house to the 16th of July next, without naming place, or hour, and suddenly sprung out of the chair. Many called him again to the Chair, some cried stop the Mace upon the table. Others would have put him again into the chair, or some body else. But the Speaker was soon surrounded by several of his party, and the Mace secured, and he went away with it before him, but not without reproachful speeches; as bidding him remember Lord Finch's case, of the like nature.'-And That he should be called to an account for it. Upon the in

Some members rising from their seats, and going to the door, before the Speaker had reported the king's command, viz. Mr. John Grey, member for Leicester, and sir Wm. Blacket, member for Newcastle upon Tyne, the Speaker reprimanded them in this manner: "The burgesses of Newcastle and Lei-house cester are in great haste to be gone, before the king's Message is reported, as if they went to get places at a show, or a play."* The King spoke as follows. "Gentlemen; Could I have been silent, I would rather have chosen to be so, than to call to mind things so unfit for you to meddle with, as are contained in some part of your Address; wherein you have intrenched upon so undoubted a right of the crown, that I am confident it will appear in no age (when the sword was not drawn) that the prerogative of making peace and war hath been so dangerously invaded. You do not content yourselves with desiring me to enter into such Leagues, as may be for the safety of the kingdom, but you tell me what sort of Leagues they must be, and with whom: and, as your Address is worded, it is more liable to be understood to be by your leave, than your request, that I should make such other Alliances as I please with other of the Confederates.Should I suffer this fundamental power of making peace and war to be so far invaded (though but once) as to have the manner and circumstances of Leagues prescribed to me by parliament, it is plain, that no prince, or state, "The members returned to the house, would any longer believe, that the sovereignty several of them rose up probably to express of England rests in the crown; nor could I their sense of this cavalier treatment, but were think myself to signify any more to foreign overborne by the Speaker, who took upon him princes than the empty sound of a king. to play the dictator too, by insisting vehementWherefore you may rest assured, that no con-ly, that, after the king had required the house dition shall make me depart from, or lessen, so essential a part of the monarchy: and I am willing to believe so well of this house of commons, that I am confident these ill consequences are not intended by you.-These are, in short, the reasons why I can by no means approve of your Address. And yet, though you have declined to grant me that Supply, which is so uecessary to the ends of it, I do again declare to you, that, as I have done all that lay in my power, since your last meeting, so I will still apply myself, by all means I can, to let the world see my care both for the security and satisfaction of my people; although it may not be with those advantages to them, which, by your assistance, I might have procured.--+1 would have you return to your house, and I require that you immediately adjourn to the 16th of July next; but I do not intend you shall sit till winter, unless there should happen any

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to adjourn, there was no more liberty of speech: this being, however, contested, and those who had stood up, demanding still to be heard, the Speaker had the confidence, without any question put, and of his own motion, to pronounce the house adjourned; and therewithal stepped down on the middle of the floor, leaving the members astonished at so flagrant a violation of their inherent privileges." Marvell.

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They had also the additional mortification to see this chiding Speech of the king's made public in the Gazette † of the next day, being the first which had ever appeared in that paper, to point them out, both to their own, and all other nations, as refractory, disobedient subjects, who had lost all respect to majesty: care being at the same time taken to suppress even the written copies of the proceedings of the house, that nothing might appear in their justification." Ralph.

+ Upon this occasion, Marvell adds: "Thus were they well rewarded for their itch of per. petual sitting and of acting; the parliament being grown to that height of contempt, as to be gazetted among run-away-servants, lap-dogs, strayed horses, and highway-robbers."

stant of the Speaker's going out of the Chair, lord Cavendish proffered to show some precedents of debates after the king's signification of Adjournment; as at that meeting soon after Chatham business, when an Address was voted to the king for disbanding the new raised forces.*

The Parliament adjourned a second time.] July 16. The parliament met in pursuance of the late adjournment, and were again adjourned by the king's command, till the 3rd of December; though some of them seemed dissatisfied with the manner of this, as much as they were with the late adjournment. In particular,

Lord Cavendish moved, that the house might see the Journal by what order, and in what method, they were adjourned last.

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Mr. Williams seconded the motion. But some cried out Adjourn, Adjourn,' others called for the question. But the Speaker told them, That he had received Orders from the king, by Mr. Secretary Coventry, to adjourn the house till the 3rd of Dec. and pronounced the house adjourned accordingly.

Principal Occurrences during the Recess Marriage of the Prince of Orange with the lady Mary Plan of Peace-Negotiations.] "It is certain," says Mr. Hume, "that this was the critical moment, when the king both might with ease have preserved the balance of power in Europe, which it has since cost this island great expence of blood and treasure to restore, and might by perseverance have at last regained, in some tolerable measure, after all past errors, the confidence of his people. This opportunity being neglected, the wound became incurable; and notwithstanding his momentary appearances of vigour against France and popery, and their momentary inclinations to rely on his faith; he was still believed to be at bottom engaged in the same interests, and they soon elapsed into distrust and jealousy. The secret memoirs of this reign, which have since been published, prove beyond a doubt, that the king had at this time concerted measures with France, and had no intention to enter into a war in favour of the allies. He had entertained no view, therefore, even when he pawned his royal word' to his people, than to procure a grant of money; and he trusted, that, while he eluded their expectations, he could not afterwards want pretences for palhating his conduct. -Negotiations meanwhile were carried on between France and Holland, and an eventual treaty was concluded; that is, all their differences were adjusted, provided they could afterwards satisfy their allies on both sides. This work, though in appearance difficult, seemed to be extremely forwarded, by farther bad successes on the part of the confederates, and by the great impatience of the Hollanders; when a new event happened, which promised a more prosperous issue to the quarrel with France, and revived the hopes

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of all the English, who understood the interests of their country.-The king saw, with regret, the violent discontents which prevailed in the nation, and which seemed every day to augment upon him. Desirous by his natural temper to be easy himself, and to make every body else easy, he sought expedients to appease those murmurs, which, as they were very disagreeable for the present, might in their consequences prove extremely dangerous. He knew that, during the late war with Hol. land, the inalcontents at home had made applications to the prince of Orange; and if he continued still to neglect the prince's interests, and to thwart the inclinations of his own people, he apprehended lest their common complaints should cement a lasting union between them. He saw that the religion of the duke inspired the nation with dismal apprehensions; and though he had obliged his brother to allow the young princesses to be educated in the protestant faith, something farther, he thought, was necessary, in order to satisfy the nation. He entertained, therefore, proposals for marrying the prince of Orange to the lady Mary, the elder princess, and heir apparent to the crown (for the duke had no male issue), and he hoped, by so tempting an offer, to engage him entirely in his interests. A peace he proposed to make; such as would satisfy France, and still preserve his connections with that crown: and he intended to sanctify it by the approbation of the prince, whom he found to be extremely revered in England, and respected throughout Europe. All the reasons for this alliance were seconded by the solicitations of Danby, and also of Temple, who was at that time in England: and Charles at last granted permission to the prince, when the campaign should be over, to pay him a visit.The king very graciously received his nephew at Newmarket. He would have entered immediately upon business; but the prince desired first to be acquainted with the lady Mary: and he declared, that, contrary to the usual sentiments of persons of his rank, he placed a great part of happiness in domestic satisfaction, and would not, upon any consideration of interest or politics, match himself with a person disagreeable to him. He was introduced to the princess, whom he found in the bloom of youth, and extremely amiable both in her person and her behaviour. The king now thought that he had a double tie upon him, and might safely expect his compliance with every proposal: he was surprised to find the prince decline all discourse of business, and refuse to concert any terms for the general peace, till his marriage should be finished. He foresaw, he said, from the situation of affairs, that his allies were likely to have hard terms; and he never would expose himself to the reproach of having sacrificed their interests to promote his own purposes. Charles still believed, notwithstanding the cold, severe manner of the prince, that he would abate of this rigid punctilio of honour; and he protracted

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the time, hoping, by his own insinuation and address, as well as by the allurements of love and ambition, to win him to compliance. One day, Temple found the prince in very bad humour, repenting that he had ever come to England, and resolute in a few days to leave it: but before he went, the king, he said, must chuse the terms on which they should hereafter live together: he was sure it must be like the greatest friends or the greatest enemies and he desired Temple to inform his master next morning of these intentions. Charles was struck with this menace, and foresaw how the prince's departure would be interpreted by the people. He resolved, therefore, immediately to yield with a good grace; and having paid a compliment to his nephew's honesty, he told Temple, that the marriage was concluded, and desired him to inform the duke of it, as of an affair already resolved on. The duke seemed surprised; but yielded a prompt obedience: which, he said, was his constant maxim to whatever he found to be the king's pleasure. (23d Oct.) No measure, during this reign, gave such general satisfaction. All parties strove who should most applaud it. And even Arlington, who had been kept out of the secret, told the prince, That some things, good in themselves, were spoiled by the manner of doing them, as some things bad were mended by it; but he would confess, that this was a thing so good in itself, that the manner of doing it could not spoil it.'-This marriage was a great surprise to Lewis, who, accustomed to govern every thing in the English court, now found so important a step taken, not only without his consent, but without his knowledge or participation. A conjunction of England with the allies, and a vigorous war in opposition to French ambition, were the consequences immediately expected, both abroad and at home: but to check these sanguine hopes, the king, a few days after the marriage, prolonged the adjournment of the parliament from the third of December to the fourth of April. This term was too late for granting supplies, or making preparations for war; and could be chosen by the king for no other reason, than as an atonement to France for his consent to the marriage. It appears also, that Charles secretly received from Lewis the sum of 2,000,000 of livres on account of this important service.-The king, however, entered into consultations with the prince, together with Danby and Temple, concerning the terms which it would be proper to require of France. After some debate, it was agreed, that France should restore Lorrain to the duke; with Tournay, Valenciennes, Condé, Aeth, Charleroi, Courtray, Oudenarde, and Binche, to Spain, in order to form a good frontier for the Low Countries. The prince insisted Frachecomté should likewise be restored; and Charles thought, that, because he had patrimonial estates of great value in that province, and deemed his property more secure in the hands of Spain, he was engaged by such views to be

obstinate in that point: but the prince declared, that to procure but one good town to the Spaniards in Flanders, he would willingly relinquish all those possessions. As the king still insisted on the impossibility of wresting Franchecomté from Lewis, the prince was obliged to acquiesce.-Notwithstanding this concession to France, the projected peace was favourable to the allies; and it was a sufficient indication of vigour in the king, that he had given his assent to it. He farther agreed to send over a minister instantly to Paris, in order to propose these terms. This minister was to enter into no treaty: he was to allow but two days for the acceptance or refusal of the terms: upon the expiration of these, he was presently to return and in case of refusal, the king promised to enter immediately into the confederacy. To carry so imperious a message, and so little expected from the English court, Temple was the person pitched on, whose declared aversion to the French interest was not likely to make him fail of vigour and promptitude in the execution of his commission.-But Charles next day felt a relenting in this assumed vigour, Instead of Temple he dispatched the earl of Feversham, a creature of the duke's and a Frenchman by birth: and he said, that the message being harsh in itself, it was needless to aggravate it by a disagreeable messenger, The prince left London; and the king, at his departure, assured him that he never would abate in the least point of the scheme concerted, and would enter into war with Lewis, if he rejected it.-Lewis received the message with seeming gentleness and complacency. He told Feversham, that the king of England well knew that he might always be master of the peace; but some of the towns in Flanders it seemed very hard to demand, especially Tournay, upon whose fortifications such immense sums had been expended: he would therefore take some short time to consider of an answer. Feversham said, that he was limited to two days stay: but when that time was elapsed, he was prevailed on to remain some few days longer; and he came away at last without any positive answer. Lewis said, that he hoped his brother would not break with him for one or two towns; and with regard to them too, he would send orders to his ambassador at London to treat with the king himself. Charles was softened by the softness of France; and the blow was thus artfully eluded. The French ambassador, Barillon, owned at last, that he had orders to yield all except Tournay, and even to treat about some equivalent for that fortress, if the king absolutely insisted upon it. The prince was gone, who had given spirit to the English court; and the negotiation began to draw out into messages and returns from Paris.-By intervals, however, the king could rouse himself, and show still some firmness and resolution. Finding that affairs were not likely to come to any conclusion with France, he summoned, notwithstanding the long adjournment, the parliament on the 15th of Jan.

now, for weighty considerations, thought fit to meet with both houses sooner; and therefore his pleasure is, that this house be adjourned to the 15th day of Jan. next."-The house adjourned accordingly.

Jan. 15. 1677-8. The house being met, his majesty sent the following Message by Mr. Secretary Coventry, which was read by the Speaker:

"C. R. His majesty hath matters of very great importance to communicate to both houses, in order to the satisfaction of their late Addresses, for the preservation of Flanders. But it so happening that matters are not yet so ripe, as within a few days they will be, therefore his majesty's pleasure is, that this house be immediately adjourned till Monday, the 28th of this instant January."*

an unusual measure, and capable of giving alarm to the French court. Temple was sent for to the council, and the king told him, that he intended he should go to Holland, in order to form a treaty of alliance with the States; and that the purpose of it should be, like the triple league, to force both France and Spain to accept of the terms porposed. Temple was sorry to find this act of vigour qualified by such a regard to France, and by such an appearance of indifference and neutrality between the parties. He told the king, that the resolution agreed on, was to begin the war in conjunction with all the confederates, in case of no direct and immediate answer from France; that this measure would satisfy the prince, the allics, and the people of England; advantages which could not be expected from such an alliance with Holland alone; that France would be disobliged, and Spain likewise; nor would the Dutch be satisfied with such a faint imitation of the triple league, a measure concerted when they were equally at peace with both parties. For these reasons, Temple declined the employment; and Lawrence Hyde, second son of chancellor Clarendon, was sent in his "My lords and gentlemen; When we parted place. (1678.) The prince of Orange could last, I told you, that before we met again, I not regard without contempt such symptoms would do that which should be to your satisof weakness and vigour conjoined in the Eng-faction: I have accordingly made such Allilish counsels. He was resolved, however, to make the best of a measure which he did not approve; and as Spain secretly consented that ber ally should form a league, which was seemingly directed against her as well as France, but which was to fall only on the latter, the States concluded the treaty in the terms proposed by the king."

Dec. 3. The house met, when Mr. Secretary Coventry delivered the following Message from his majesty, which was read by the Speaker:

"C. R. His majesty, having giving notice by his Proclamation, that he intended the houses should be adjourned till the 4th of April,* hath

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Several members proffered to speak, but the Speaker would not suffer them, but adjourned the house.

The King's Speech to both Houses.] Jan. 28. This day his majesty came to the house of peers, and sending for the commons, made this remarkable Speech:

ances with Holland, as are for the preservation of Flanders; and which cannot fail of that end, unless prevented either by the want of due Finch, for once doing so, (3 Ch.) was accused of high treason. This only can be said perhaps in bis excuse, That whereas that in 3 Ch. was a parliament legally constituted, Mr. Seymour did here do as a sheriff that disperses a riotous assembly. In this manner they were kicked from adjournment to adjournment, as from one stair down to another; and when they were at the bottom, kicked up again, having no mind yet to go out of doors." Marvell.

* One reason for this adjournment was, to know if the Spaniards would comply with a demand that the king had made of Ostend, and Portmahon, for the accommodation of his ships and troops, and which Mr. Godolphin was in this interval soliciting at Brussels: and another is given by the lord treasurer Danby in a Letter to Mr. Montagu ambassador at Paris dated Jan. 17, viz. To see if any expedient for the peace could be found out in that time." Ralph.

"Before the meeting appointed for the 3d of Dec. his majesty's Proclamation was issued, signifying that he expected not the members attendance, but that those of them about town should adjourn themselves till the 4th of April, 1678.' These words, that the house may adjourn themselves' were very well received by those of the commons who imagined themselves thereby restored to their right, after Mr. Speaker Seymour's invasion: when, in reversal of this, (he probably desiring to retain a jurisdiction that he had twice usurped, and to add this "It appears however from sir Wm. Temple, flower to the crown, of his own planting) Mr. that the true reason of this Adjournment was Secretary Coventry delivered a written Mes- to have time to receive the news of a League sage from his majesty, on the 3d of Dec. of a with Holland, which was signed Jan. 16, but contrary effect, though not of the same validity being properly defensive, to prevent the king with the Proclamation, viz. That the houses of France from pursuing his conquests in the should be adjourned only to the 15th of Jan. Netherlands, it was very far from answering 1677;' which as soon as read, Mr. Seymour the desires of the parliament. The king bewould not give leave to a worthy inember, of-lieved, nevertheless, that this league would be fering, to speak; but abruptly, now the third capable to impose upon them; and therefore time, of his own authority, adjourned them deferred their meeting to receive the news of without putting the question; though sir John its conclusion." Rapin.

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