wholly refer himfelf to one of your own Servants, or the King's Commiffioners in the Cafe of the Crown? And if he chufes rather fome plain honeft Friend of his own to fupply his Abfence here, will any Man blame fuch a Proceeding, or think it unmannerly?

Befides, your Lordships know even this Act admits them to be chofen, notwithstanding their Employments, provided the Electors know it first, and are not deceived in their Choice.

All we would prevent is, that a good rich Corporation fhould not chufe to intruft with all their Liberties a plain honeft Country Neighbour, and find him within Six Month changed into a preferred cunning Courtier; who fhall tye them to their Choiee, tho' he is no more the fame Man, than if he were turn'd Papist, which by the Law as it ftands already, puts an Incapacity upon him.

Another Objection is, that this At may by its Confequence prolong this Parliament, which they allow would be a very great Grievance, and yet fuppofe the King capable of putting it upon us, which I have too much Refpect for him to admit of; tho' I am glad however, that 'tis objected by Privy-Councellors in Favour, who confequently, I hope, will never advise a thing which they now exclaim against as so great a Grievance.

Ι

But pray, my Lords, what should tempt the King to fo ill a Policy? Can he fear a freedom of Choice in the People, to whofe good Will he owes all his Power, which thefe Lords fuppofe he may Ufe to their Prejudice?

And therefore give me leave to fay, as I muft not fufpect him of fo ill a Defign as the perpetuating this Parliament, fo he cannot, he ought not to fufpect a Nation fo entirely, I was going to fay, fo fondly devoted to him.

My Lords, no Man is readier than my felf to allow that we owe the Crown all Submflion as to the time of calling Parliaments according to Law, and appointing alfo where they fhall fit. But with Reverence be it fpoken, the King owes the Nation entire freedom in chafing their Reprefentatives;

and

and it is no lefs his Duty, than 'tis his true Intereft, that fuch a fair and jutt Proceeding fhould be ufed towards us.

Confider, my Lords, of what mighty Confequence it may be, that fo many Votes fhould be free, when upon one fingle one may depend the whole fecurity or lofs of this Nation. By one fingle Vote fuch things may happen, that I almost tremble to think: By one fingle Vore a General Excile may be granted, and then we are all loft; by one fingle Vote the Crown may be impower'd to Name all the Commiflioners for railing the Taxes, and then furely we fhou'd be in a fair way to

wards it.

Nay, whatever has happen'd may again be apprehended; and I hope thofe Reverend Prelates will reflect, that if they grow once obnoxious to a prevalent Party, one fingle Voice may be as dangerous to that Bench, as a general diffatisfation among the People proved to be one in a late Expeperience: Which I am far from faying by way of Threatning, but only by way of Caution.

My Lords, We may think because this concerns not the Houfe of Lords, that we need not be fo over careful of the Matter; but there are Noblemen in France, at least fuch as were fo before they were enflav'd, who that they might domineer over o thers, and ferve a prefent turn perhaps, let all things alone fo long till the people were quite mafter'd, and the Nobility themfelves too, to bear them Company.

So that I never met a Frenchman, even of the greateft Rank (and fome bad 10000 Piftoles a Year in Employments) that did not envy us here for our Freedom, from that Slavery which they groan under; and this I have obferv'd univerfally, except juft Monfieur de Louvey, Monfieur Colbert, or fuch People, becaufe they were the Minifters themfelves who occafion'd thefe Complaints, and thriv'd by the Oppreflion of others.

My Lords, This Country of ours is very apt to be provok'd; we have had a late Experience of it, and the' no Wifeman, but would bear a great

deal

deal rather than make a Buftle; yet really the People are otherwife and at any time change a prefent Uneafinefs, for any other Condition, tho' a worfe; we have known it fo too often, and fometimes repented it too late.

Let them not have this new Provocation in being debarr'd from a fecurity in their Reprefentatives: For malicious People will not fail to infufe into their Minds that all thofe vaft Sums, which have been and ftill must be rais'd towards this War, are not difpos'd away in fo fair a manner as ought to be, and I am afraid they will fay their Money is not given but taken.

However, whate're fuccefs this Bill may have, there must needs come fome good Effect of it: For if it paffes, it will give us Security: If it be obftructed, it will give us Warning.

Propofals of Peace made to King WILLI AM from FRANCE, through the Mediation of the King of DENMARK.

London Decem. 19th O. S. 1694.

SIR,

TH

He Defolation this prefent War carries into moft Parts of Europe, together with the Duty incumbent on a Chriftian King, to apply all the Remedies that lie in his Power to fo general a Calamity, oblige the King of Denmark, my Mafter, to impart to Your Majefty, thofe Propofals of Peace which the moft Chriftian King has Communicated to Him. My Mafter might have reafon to decline his Offices towards the Peace of Europe, and taking upon him fo important a Negotiation, fince the Adv nces He has already made, as well as the King of Sweden, have not only prov'd Ineffectual, but likewife have been fo mifconftructed, as to render them fufpected. Nevertheless it is moft evident, that without any profpect of private Intereft (the Uni

on of the Northern Crowns, for the fecurity of the Trade of their refpective Subjects being fo well Eftablifh'd, and enjoying the Priviledges of Neutrality, that the continuation of the War might very much encreafe the Riches of their Majefties Dominions the publick Welfare of Europe, and the defire to fee a juft and lafting Peace reftor'd, have prevail'd above all other Confiderations. Wherefore the King, my Mafter, has reprefented to the moft Chriftian King, That the Propofals which he has made hitherto towards a General Peace, have been look'd upon by the Confederates rather as a means to dif unite them, and to crufh and fubdue them one after another, than as a Mark of his fincere Intentions of fettling the publick Repofe. But his moft Christian Majefty, to remove all manner of Diftruft, has not only by repeated Proteftations, affured the King, my Mafter, of the Sincerity of his Sentiments in this Affair, but has likewife deliver'd a Project of General Peace, and added to the Conditions that concern the Empire, and which are already known to Your Majefty, fome others relating to the reft of the Allies, which are compre hended in the following Heads.

I. That notwithstanding the Advantages his Arms have gain'd this Campaign, no Alteration: fhall be made in the Conditions his moft Chriftian Majefty has already offer'd to the Emperor, the Princes and States of the Empire, and the Dukes of Lorrain and Savoy.

II. His Majefty fhall reftore to the Catholick King the Important Place of Rofes, that of Belvers, and whatever has been Conquer'd in Catalonia during the prefent War.

III. Towards the forming a Barrier in the LowCountries, which may remove all manner of Jea loufie and Uneafinefs from the States of Holland, his moft Chriftian Majefty fhall, upon that Confideration, reftore the Places of Mons and Namur to the King of Spain, and caufe Charleroy to be razed.

IV. His faid Majefty hall reftore to the Bishop, of Liege the Town and Castle of Huy, and recom

penfe

penfe him for Dinant and Bouillon, by annexing upon that Account, to his Bifhoprick, fuch a Por tion of the Country of Luxemburgh as fhall be most convenient to that Bishop, and judg'd equivalent by

Arbitrators.

V. His Majefty confents that the Treaty of Commerce made at Nimeguen with the States, be renewed without any Alteration.

VI. His Majefty thinks the States of Holland will be glad to obtain fuch important Reftitutions, and to put an end to the War by a Peace fo advantageous both to Spain and all the Allies, especially after the profperous Campaigns of France, which may ftill be attended with others no lefs fuccefsful. But that neither Holland, nor any other State of Europe may have any Ground of apprehenfion, that upon Prtence of new Rights, his Majefty will extend the Boundaries of his Dominions in the Low-Countrics beyond what fhall be regulated by the Treaty his Majesty declares, That, in cafe the King of Spain dies without Iffue, he confents that the Low Countries fall to the fhare of the Duke of Bavaria, upon Condition that the Emperor makes the fme Declaration; And his Majefty fhall as well for him fe f as for the Dauphin his Son confirm the fid Renunciation by all the Formalities neceffary for that purpofe, in behalf of his Electoral Highnefs.

His moft Chriftian Majefty hopes, that this laft Engagement will,more than any thing befides,fecure to the Confederates the firmn Is of the Peace they fhall make with him; And he thinks that after fo advantageous Propofals, the World will foon know whether Eu ope may hope to fee the publick Tranquility reftor'd, or whether the Preparations of War are to be renew d.

This Sir, is what the most Christian King has Communicated to the King, my Master, and which his Majesty has commanded me to impart to You. He does in no manner pretend to prescribe Rules to Your Majesty, fince Your Prudence will beft judge what is moft for Your Glory and Interest ;

but