chief manager of the peace concluded at Ryswick, anno 1697. Several thousands of the poor Palatines came this year into Britain, and were relieved by a public brief. A good sum of money was raised, which was carefully distributed by commissioners,* at which many grumbled and were much dissatisfied. Five hundred families of them were sent to Ireland, many to Carolina, and other parts, and a number went back into their own country. This year, the King of Sweden was defeated by the Muscovites, at the battle of Pultowa. His whole army was either killed or taken prisoners, and he himself was forced to fly into Turkey for shelter.‡ CHAPTER VIII. 1710-1714. Farther Hints both of Public and Private Matters, in the THE trial of Dr. Sacheverel was depending, when this year began. He was, from day to day, attended See supra, p. 42 note.—ED. + July 8.-ED. "Le Commandant de Bender envoya, en hâte, un Aga, complimenter le Roi, et lui offrir une tente magnifique, avec les provisions, le baggage, les chariots, les commodités, les officiers, toute sa suite necessaire pour lui conduire avec splendeur jusqu'à Bender; car tel est l'usage des Turcs." Voltaire, i. 196.—Ed. to Westminster Hall by a most furious and insolent mob. All that passed along were compelled to pull off their hats. Some time after, Mr. Daniel Burgess's meeting-house was gutted, and the pulpit, pews, and wainscot burnt in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, the populace all the while huzzaing and crying out, "High Church and Sacheverel !"* Several other meeting-houses were pillaged, and some considerably damaged. The houses also of the Lord Chancellor, Lord Wharton, Bishop of Sarum, Mr. Dolben, and Mr. Hoadley were threatened. Had not a detachment of Guards been sent into the City, under the command of Colonel Horsey, (who told me he ventured his neck by going upon verbal orders, without any thing in writing, to warrant his march, till the work was over) in order to the securing the Bank, &c., there is no knowing what mischief might have been done. Though the Doctor was cast, yet (to please the Queen) his sentence was moderated. When he had got his liberty, he took a tour through the country, in a sort of triumph, to receive the homage of the mob. As a reward for his great hardships and sufferings, he was at length promoted to the living of St. Andrews, Holborn, at that time one of the greatest parochial cures in the Christian world. The tumults, in several parts of the nation, upon this occasion, had a great influence on the elections for the new Parliament, which in many places was * See "Complete Hist. of Europe," for 1709, p. 358.-C. chosen with such violence and fury, that it might be called "the Parliament of Sacheverel and the inob." Addresses came in from many parts of the nation, but there was the hand of Joab in them. They were designed to procure a new Parliament, and an alteration of the ministry. In August, an artful address was presented by the Bishop and Clergy of London. Such as were against it, were represented as enemies to the Queen and her ministry. Dr. Barton and Mr. Baker refused to sign it; and Dr. Kennet, Dr. Bradford, Dr. Hancock, and Mr. Hoadly, refused to answer the Bishop's summons. These addresses were followed with counter addresses. But Our forces in Spain, with General Stanhope at their head, obtained a considerable victory near Almenara, on July 27, N. s. and on August 27, following, gave the Spaniards a yet more surprising defeat near Saragossa.* The French King was so thunderstruck with this defeat of his grandson, that when he received the first account, he betrayed more weakness than he had done upon the news of the fatal battles of Hockstet and Ramilies; and retired into his closet, where he continued for some hours, without admitting any one of his ministers or courtiers to converse with him. We took all their cannon, and most of their colours; so that out of 40 battalions, not above 4,000 men escaped; and out of 60 squadrons, about the like number, the rest being killed or taken prisoners.-C. At length, what our enemy could not do for himself, we out of an excess of good-humour, set ourselves upon doing for him. Mr. Harley got the Queen's ear by means of Mrs. Hill.* August 8, the Lord Treasurer was turned out, and Commissioners placed in his room, and Mr. Harley, was made Chancellor and Under Treasurer of the Exchequer. The dismission of this great minister, the Lord Treasurer, without the favour of an hearing, M. Mesnager† calls "the coup de grace; and with him," he says, "fell the administration of the Whigs for that reign." Nor did the Treasurer fall alone. No sooner was he turned out, than the Whigs at Court gave him a meeting, and engaged to one another, that they would, one and all stand, hard and fast together, and accept of no proposals that contained any thing less than the restoring them all. Hereupon many alterations were made. The Earl of Rochester, the Queen's uncle, was declared Lord President of the Council, than which, M. Mesnager very frankly owns, "no news could be more welcome to the Court of France." He adds, that "from the introduction of this one person, the French King had a full satisfaction, and often declared it, that not only the great point of ending the war would be obtained, but that he should one time or other have as effectual an influence on * See supra, p. 101.—ED. -C. + "Minutes of Negociation in the Court of England,” p. 58. Ibid, pp. 78-79.-C. the affairs of Britain as ever, and by consequence be in a condition to restore the banished Chevalier, by the consent of the British nation. The Parliament met Nov. 25, and the Whigs found themselves surprisingly outnumbered in the Commons, who chose William Bromley, Esq. Speaker. The Queen recommended carrying on the war in all its parts, but particularly in Spain, with the utmost vigour. The Duke of Marlborough could now obtain no thanks in the Lords, notwithstanding he had as much deserved them as in former campaigns, yet continued in his place as general. Nay, the Queen was pleased to renew his commission, and make a disposition of the other generals entirely to his satisfaction. Yet his favour was but short-lived. He soon fell into disgrace, after all the honours that had been heaped upon him. "fourteen sermons I, this year, (1710) printed preached at the Merchant's Lecture, at Salter's-hall," upon "the Inspiration of the Holy Writings of the Old and New Testament,"* and dedicated them to *There had appeared (1690), "Five Letters, concerning the Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, translated out of French ;" and occasioned by "F. Simon's Critical History of the Old Testament," (noticed vol. i. p. 388.) in which he had maintained "the necessity of oral tradition." The author (Le Clerc) contended for a qualified, rather than a plenary inspiration, and sustained his opinion by references to Jerome, Erasmus, Grotius, Episcopius, and Baxter, ("Saint's Rest," part ii. ch. iii. sec. ii.”) See "Five Letters." pp. 16, 20, 36, 47, 76, 79-89, 139–143, 202. In answer |