1702]

HIS ACCIDENT-HIS MESSAGE ON THE UNION.

253

mitted against me. Let me conjure you to disappoint the only hope of our enemies by your unanimity. I have shown, and will always show, how desirous I am to be the common father of all my people. Do you, in like manner, lay aside parties and divisions. Let there be no other distinction heard of amongst us for the future, but of those, who are for the Protestant religion, and the present establishment, and of those who mean a Popish prince, and a French government. I will only add this; if you do in good earnest desire to see England hold the balance of Europe, and to be indeed at the head of the Protestant interest, it will appear by your right improving the present opportunity."

This speech, so earnest, so manly, so thoroughly addressed to the great English heart, could be met with no factious strife or sullen coldness. William had the nation at his back. The Commons very speedily voted a supply of six hundred thousand pounds. They resolved that an Address be presented to the king, requesting that it be an article in the several treaties of alliance, "That no peace shall be made with France, until his majesty and the nation have reparation for the great indignity offered by the French king, in owning and declaring the pretended prince of Wales king of England, Scotland, and Ireland." They voted forty thousand men for the land forces, and forty thousand for sea service. The only want of unanimity was in the resistance to a Bill "for abjuring the pretended prince of Wales," but this was finally passed on the 24th of February.

When William went to Holland in the summer of 1701 he appeared in the last stage of bodily feebleness. His spirit had been deeply mortified by the parliamentary conflicts which promised little of future tranquillity. But in the labours of that autumn his health appeared to grow better. It has been admirably said: "Let those who doubt the dominion of the soul over the bodily powers; who deny that a strong mind can sway, and strengthen, and force onward a feeble and suffering frame; let such observe, whether, in the last labours of William to form the Alliance, or in the Alliance itself when formed, they can discover any trace of sickness-one single mark of languor or decline."* The altered spirit of the English Parliament seemed to infuse a new life into the king. He took delight in his additions to Hampton Court. He went there once a week to hunt, although so weak as to be obliged to be lifted on his horse. It was there that, on Saturday the 21st of February, "he fell from his horse that stumbled at a mole-hill." He fractured his collar-bone; but the injury was not considered serious. He was conveyed to Kensington. On the 23rd he sent a message to the Commons, in which he said that, being confined by an unhappy accident from coming in person, he thus signified what he designed to have spoken from the throne. He referred to the appointment of commissioners in the first year of his reign for treating of a union between England and Scotland. He was convinced that nothing would more contribute to the present and future happiness and security of the two kingdoms than a firm and entire union between them. "His majesty would esteem it a peculiar felicity if, during his reign, some happy expedient for making both kingdoms one might take place; and is therefore extremely

* Lord Mahon, "War of the Succession in Spain," p. 43.

Vernon Letters, vol. iii. p. 184.

254

DEATH OF WILLIAM THE THIRD.

[1702. desirous that a treaty for that purpose might be set on foot; and does, in the most earnest manner, recommend this affair to the consideration of the House." It was a solemn appeal, which was made doubly solemn by the event which was impending. On the 3rd of March Vernon wrote that the king "is very near well of his hurt." Three days later he was in extreme danger. Albemarle had been sent to Holland, to arrange for an early campaign. “He came back on the 7th of March, in the morning, with so good an account of everything, that, if matters of that kind could have wrought on the king, it must have revived him: but the coldness with which he received it showed how little hopes were left. Soon after he said' Je tire vers ma fin'—I draw towards my end.” * He signed a Commission for passing the Bill of Abjuration and the Money Bill. The next day, the 8th of March, he was evidently dying. He received the sacrament. "He was often looking up to heaven in many short ejaculations." He took Portland by the hand, "and carried it to his heart with much tenderness," but his voice was gone. "His reason and all his senses were entire to the last minute. He died with a clear and full presence of mind, and with a wonderful tranquillity." The enemies of William could not respect this tranquillity, and wanted some better evidence of his piety than the circumstance that "when he was so weak that he could scarce speak, he gave the archbishop of Canterbury his hand, as a sign that he firmly believed the truth of the Christian religion." The contemporary and the historical revilers of William III. have passed away, as those worshippers of absolute power have passed away who toasted "William's horse; " and drank "a health to the little gentleman dressed in velvet." § He died before any new caprice of fortune,-any fickleness of public opinion, came to cloud the bright prospect which was opening before him, of the destinies of the country which he had served so well, and which had so ill rewarded him, and of his own land which never failed to recognize his admirable qualities. "The earl of Portland told me," says Burnet, "that when he was once encouraging him, from the good state his affairs were in, both at home and abroad, to take more heart, the king answered him,—that he knew death was that which he had looked at on all occasions without terror; sometimes he would have been glad to have been delivered out of all his troubles; but he confessed now he saw another scene, and could wish to live a little longer." The wish was not granted by the Supreme Disposer of the affairs of nations. But the chief object of William's life was in great part accomplished. The union of Europe was consolidated. "Just as the last hand was given to this immense and complicated machine, the master workman died: but the work was formed on true mechanical principles, and it was as truly wrought. It went by the impulse it had received from the first mover. The man was dead: but the grand alliance survived, in which

NOTE. AN ACT FOR THE FURTHER LIMITATION OF THE CROWN AND BETTER SECURING THE RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES OF THE SUBJECT.

THE Preamble to this Act recites the tenor of the Statute of the 1st of William and Mary; and sets forth that the late queen and the duke of Gloucester being dead, the king had recommended a further provision for the Succession of the Crown:

"Therefore for a further provision of the succession of the crown in the Protestant line, we, your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in this present Parliament assembled, do beseech your majesty that it may be enacted and declared, and be it enacted and declared, by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the most excellent princess Sophia, electress and duchess dowager of Hanover, daughter of the most excellent princess Elizabeth, late queen of Bohemia, daughter of our late sovereign lord king James the first, of happy memory, be and is hereby declared to be the next in succession in the Protestant line to the imperial crown and dignity of the said realms of England, France, and Ireland, with the dominions and territories thereunto belonging, after his majesty and the princess Ann of Denmark, and in default of issue of the said princess Ann and of his majesty respectively; and that from and after the decease of his said majesty, our now sovereign lord, and of her royal highness the princess Ann of Denmark, and for default of issue of the said princess Ann and of his majesty respectively, the crown and royal government of the said kingdoms of England, France, and Ireland, and of the dominions thereunto belonging, with the royal state and dignity of the said realms, and all honours, styles, titles, regalities, prerogatives, powers, jurisdictions, and authorities to the same belonging and appertaining, shall be, remain, and continue to the said most excellent princess Sophia, and the heirs of her body, being Protestants. And thereunto the said lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, shall and will, in the name of all the people of this realm, most humbly and faithfully submit themselves, their heirs and posterities, and do faithfully promise, after the deceases of his majesty and her royal highness, and the failure of the heirs of their respective bodies, to stand to, maintain and defend the said princess Sophia, and the heirs of her body, being Protestants, according to the limitation and succession of the crown in this Act specified and contained, to the utmost of their powers, with their lives and estates, against all persons whatsoever that shall attempt anything to the contrary.

"Provided always, and it is hereby enacted, that all and every person and persons who shall or may take or inherit the said crown by virtue of the limitation of this present Act, and is, are, or shall be reconciled to, or shall hold communion with the See or Church of Rome, or shall profess the Popish religion, or shall marry a Papist, shall be subject to such incapacities as in such case or cases are by the said recited Act (1st Gul. and Mar.) provided, enacted, and established. And that every king and queen of this realm who shall come to and succeed in the imperial crown of this kingdom, by virtue of this Act, shall have the coronation oath administered to him, her, or them, at their respective coronations, according to the Act of Parliament made in the first year of the reign of his majesty and the said late queen Mary, entitled 'an Act for establishing the coronation oath,' and

256

NOTE. THE ACT OF SETTLEMENT.

[1701. shall make, subscribe, and repeat the declaration in the Act first above recited, mentioned, or referred to, in the manner and form thereby prescribed.

"And whereas it is requisite and necessary that some further provision be made for securing our religion, laws, and liberties, from and after the death of his majesty and the princess Ann of Denmark; and in default of issue of the body of the said princess and of his majesty respectively, be it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same,

"That whosoever shall hereafter come to the possession of this crown shall join in communion with the Church of England as by law established.

"That in case the crown and imperial dignity of this realm shall hereafter come to any person, not being a native of this kingdom of England, this nation be not obliged to engage in any war for the defence of any dominions or territories which do not belong to the crown of England, without the consent of Parliament.

"That no person, who shall hereafter come to the possession of this crown shall go out of the dominions of England, Scotland, or Ireland, without consent of Parliament.

"That from and after the time that the further limitation by this Act shall take effect, all matters and things relating to the well-governing of this kingdom, which are properly cognizable in the privy council by the laws and customs of this realm shall be transacted there, and all resolutions taken thereupon shall be signed by such of the privy council as shall advise and consent to the same.

"That after the said limitation shall take effect as aforesaid, no person born out of the kingdoms of England, Scotland, or Ireland, or the dominions thereunto belonging, (although he be naturalised or made a denizen, except such as are born of English parents), shall be capable to be of the privy council, or a member of either house of Parliament, or to enjoy any office or place of trust, either civil or military, or to have any grant of lands, tenements, or hereditaments from the crown to himself, or to any other or others in trust for him.

"That no person

who has an office or place of profit under the king, or receives a pension from the crown, shall be capable of serving as a member of the House of Commons.

"That after the said limitation shall take effect as aforesaid, judges' commissions be made quam diu se bene gesserint, and their salaries ascertained and established; but upon the address of both houses of Parliament it may be lawful to remove them.

"That no pardon under the great seal of England be pleadable to an impeachment by the commons in Parliament.

"And whereas the laws of England are the birthright of the people thereof, and all the kings and queens who shall ascend the throne of this realm ought to administer the government of the same according to the said laws, and all their officers and ministers ought to serve them respectively according to the same, the said lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, do therefore humbly pray, that all the laws and statutes of this realm for securing the established religion, and the rights and liberties of the people thereof, and all other laws and statutes of the same now in force, may be ratified and confirmed. And the same are, by his majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the said lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, and by authority of the same, ratified and confirmed accordingly."

Accession of queen Anne-Her declaration to the Privy Council-Parliament continues sittingPreponderance of Tories-Marlborough sent as envoy to the States-General-War declaredMarlborough's first Campaign-Expedition to Cadiz-Vigo-New Parliament-Tory majority -Bill against Occasional Conformity-Defoe's Shortest Way with the Dissenters-Marlborough created a Duke-Revolt in the Cévennes-Marlborough's second Campaign-The Methuen Treaty with Portugal-Occasional Conformity Bill again rejected by the LordsAylesbury Election Case-The Great Storm-Oaths of Witnesses-Queen Anne's BountyTouching for the Evil-May-Poles.

"WHEN the king came to die," says the duchess of Marlborough, "I felt nothing of that satisfaction which I once thought I should have had upon this occasion; and my lord and lady Jersey's writing and sending perpetually to give an account as his breath grew shorter and shorter, filled me with horror." It is the common story of royal death-beds. "As soon as the breath was out of king William," as lord Dartmouth affirms, "by which all expectations from him were at an end, the bishop of Salisbury drove hard to bring the first tidings to St. James's; where he prostrated himself at the new queen's feet, full of joy and duty." From Edward III. to William III., -from William III. to George IV.,-it was ever the same:

"Gone to salute the rising morn."

That Anne should have dropped a tear for her brother-in-law was scarcely to be expected. Friends they had never been. Since the death of Mary they had avoided all unseemly differences. Anne, subjected to the will of a

Note on Burnet, vol. v. p. 1.

VOL. V.

S