her own nature, grew daily much more difficulɛ and uncomplying. Some weak endeavours were, indeed, used to divert her Majesty from this choice; but the continued fteady, and pleaded, that if the might not have liberty to chufe her own fervants, the could not fee what advantage fhe had gotten by the change of her ministry: And fo little was her heart fet upon what they call a High-church or Tory adminiftration, that several employments in court and country, and a great majority in all commiffions, remained in the hands of those who most opposed the present proceedings: Nor do I remember that any removal of confequence was made, till the winter following, when the Earl of Nottingham was pleased to prepare and offer a vote, in the House, of Lords, against any peace, while Spain continued in the hands of the Bourbon family. Of this vote the minifters had early notice; and, by cafting up the numbers, concluded they fhould have a majority of ten to overthrow it. The Queen was desired, and promised, to speak to a certain Lord who was looked upon as dubious. That Lord attended accordingly; but heard not a word of the matter from her Majesty, although The afterwards owned it was not for want of remembering, but from perfect indifference. The Treasurer, who trufted to promifes, and reckoned that others would truft to his, was, by a most unfeasonable piece of parfimony, grofsly deceived; and the vote carried against the court.

The

Queen

Queen had the curiofity to be prefent at the debate; and appeared fo little difpleafed at the event, or againft those from whom the might have expected more compliance, that a perfon in high ftation among her domeftics, who, that day in her prefence, had fhewn his utmost eloquence (fuch as it was) against the ministers, received a particular + mark of diftinction and favour, which, by his poft, he could not pretend to; and was not removed from her service, but with exceeding difficulty, many months afAnd it is certain, that this vote could not have been carried, if fome perfons very near her Majefty, had not given affurances where they were proper, that it would be acceptable to the Queen, which her behaviour feemed to confirm.

ter:

But when the confequences of this vote were calmly reprefented to her, That the limitation fpecified therein had wholly tied up her hands, in case the recovery of Spain should be found impoffible, as it was frequently allowed and owned by many principal leaders of the oppofite party, and had hitherto been vainly endeavoured, either by treaty or war: That the kingdom was not in a condition to bear any longer its burthen and charge, especially with annual additions: Thatother expedients might poffibly be found, for preventing France and Spain from being united under the fame king, according to the intent and létter

* Duke of Somerfet.

To lead out the Queen.

letter of the grand alliance: That the design of this vote was to put her Majesty under the neceffity of diffolving the parliament, beginning all things a-new, and placing the administration in the hands of thofe whom the had thought fit to lay afide, and this by facrificing her present servants to the rage and vengeance of the former; with many other obvious confiderations, not very proper at this time to be repeated. Her Majesty, who was earnestly bent upon giving peace to her people, confented to fall upon the fole expedient, that her own coldness, or the Treasurer's thrift, and want or contempt of artifice, had left her; which was, to create a number of peers, fufficient to turn the balance in the Houfe of Lords. I confess, that, in my history of thofe times, where this matter, among others, is treated with a great deal more liberty, and confequently very unfit for present perufal, I have refined fo far as to conjecture, that, if this were the Treafurer's counsel, he might poffibly have given it upon fome further views, than that of avoiding the confequences of my Lord Nottingham's vote. And what thofe were, I fuppofe, I may offer without offence. It is known enough, that, from the time of the Revolution, to the period I am now speaking of, the favour of the court was almost perpetually turned towards thofe, who, in the party-term, are called Whigs, or the Low-church; and this was a space of above twenty years, wherein great additions were made

to

to the Peerage, and the Bifhops bench almoft wholly renewed. But the majority of landed men, ftill retaining the old church principles in religion and government, notwithstanding all endeavours to convert them, the late King was under many infuperable difficulties during the courfe of his reign; elections feldom fucceeding fo well, as to leave the court-fide without ftrenuous oppofition, fufficient to carry many points against him, which he had much at heart. Upon the late Queen's fucceeding to the crown, the church-party, who feemed to have grown more numerous under all difcouragements, began to conceive hopes, that her Majefty, who had always profeffed to favour their principles, would make use of their fervice. And, indeed, upon that footing things ftood for fome time: But a new war being refolved on, three perfons, who had most credit with her Majefty, and who were then looked upon to be at least as high principled as could poffibly confift with the Proteftant fucceffion, having confulted their friends, began to conceive that the military spirit was much more vigorous in the other party, who appeared more keen against France, more fanguine upon the power and wealth of England, and better verfed in the arts of finding out funds, to which they had been fo long used. There were fome other motives for this tranfition of the ministers at that time, which are more proper for the History above mentioned,

where

where they are faithfully recorded. But, thus the Queen was brought to govern, by what they call a Low-church miniftry, which continued for feveral years: 'Till at length grown weary of the war, although carried on with great glory and fuccefs; and the nation rifing into a flame, (whether juftly or no) upon the trial of Dr Sacheverel, which, in effect, was a general muster of both parties; her Majefty, following her own inclinations, and those of her people, refolved to make fome changes in the ministry, and take Mr Harley into her councils. This was brought about, as the charge against that minister says, by the bafeft infinuations; upon which, being a determination of Parliament, I fhall not difpute : Although I confefs to have received a very different account of that matter from a most excellent Lady, upon whofe veracity I entirely depend; and who, being then in chief confidence with her miftrefs, muft needs know a particular fact wherein she was immediately concerned and trufted, better than any one man or number of men, except the majority of a House of Com

mons.

When the new Parliament met, whofe elections were left entirely to the people, without the leaft influence from the court, it plainly appeared how far the church party in the nation out-numbered the other, and efpecially in the feveral counties. But, in the Houfe of Lords, even after fome management, there was but a