own country, had not this expedient been pitched on, and had success. * The Duke of Marlborough obtained a considerable victory, May 23, this year, (1706,) at Ramillies, in Brabant. This was soon followed by a recognition of King Charles III. as their sovereign, by the States of Brabant and Flanders, assembled at Brussels and Ghent, and with the restoring of the greater part of the Spanish Netherlands to the possession of the house of Austria. Whereupon, June 27, was appointed a day of public thanksgiving. The Queen went to St. Paul's with great pomp, on that day, as in former years. The sermon was preached by *The writer of the "Life of Charles Earl of Halifax," (p. 137,) says, "This Union was brought about, with great difficulty, and not without many useful expedients, and was wholly owing to that lord, who projected the Equivalent, without which it had never been accomplished."-C. This lord wrote, though with no apparent reference to the question of Union, "The Anatomy of an Equivalent." See "Miscellanies, by the late Marquess of Halifax," (1700,) pp. 1-42. "Since Scotland," says Burnet, was to pay customs and excise on the same foot with England, and to bear a share in paying much of the debt England had contracted during the war, 398,000l. was to be raised in England, and sent into Scotland as an equivalent. "That was to be applied to recoining the money, and paying the public debts of Scotland, and repaying to their African Company (which was to be dissolved) all their losses with interest; and the overplus to the encouragement of manufactures." See "Own Time," ii. 458.-ED. Dr. Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, from Deut. xxxiii. 29. Upon this, there came congratulatory addresses from all parts; one from the Dissenting ministers of the three denominations in and about the cities of London and Westminster, was presented to her Majesty at Windsor, June 17, by Mr. Spademan, accompanied with twelve others.* It was in the words following:- "The late surprising progress of your Majesty's forces, and those of your allies in Flanders, under the command of the most illustrious Prince, the Duke of Marlborough, and of those in Spain commanded by the noble Earls of Peterborough and Galway, happily supported by your Royal Navy, under the conduct of your prudent and valiant admirals, engages us humbly to congratulate your Majesty on so glorious an occasion. "The signal answer it has pleased God to return to those devout prayers, which your Majesty and your people, by your pious direction, addressed to Heaven, inspires us with a joy equal to the mortification it gives your enemies; and while your Majesty ascribes your many victories to the arm of the Almighty, and repeats your Royal commands to your people, to offer him solemn thanksgiving, we cannot but look on your Majesty's piety as an hopeful pledge of the like future successes. "As the important consequences of your Majesty's triumphs, make a daily accession to your glory, so they give us an agreeable prospect of the speedy reduction of the power of France to its just limits, the restitution of liberty and peace to Europe, the effectual relief of the Reformed Churches abroad, and the security of that provision the law has made for a Protestant succession to the Crown of this kingdom. "We gratefully acknowledge the share we have in the bless his Lordship, when he was one of the Lords Commissioners in Parliament, was, to the instructions given him by the House of Peers. He told me he was very sensible of it, and, therefore, would himself make it his request to my Lord Treasurer to introduce us, and would send me a letter by one of his domestic servants, by which he would signify it as his advice to those deputed in the name of the rest, upon this occasion, to be introduced by him; and at the same time, would intimate his Lordship's readiness to be our introducer, which he thought would be every way best. I submitted to his Lordship's judgment, and told my brethren of it, who were well satisfied. I had his Lordship's letter by his servant on the Saturday morning, which signified the Lord Treasurer's readiness, and fixed Monday morning for us to be at Windsor with our address. I had work enough to give notice to the several persons deputed, who lived in several parts of the town, and to fix them with coaches, so that we might get to Windsor in time on the Monday. When we came there, I sent my servant to Lord Sunderland's, to let his Lordship know we were come, and ready to receive his directions. Word was brought that his Lordship went out of town that morning ; at which my companions (and particularly Mr. Spademan) were not a little disturbed. To make them easy, I went myself, and inquired of Lord Sunderland's gentleman, whether his Lordship had left no directions for me and my company. Upon which he told me he had left orders, that if we called, we should wait on the Lord Treasurer in his name. Without going back, I went up to the Castle, and found the Lord Treasurer's lodgings. I told the sentinel, that stood at the entrance, that if he would help me to the speech of my Lord Treasurer's gentleman, I would give him something to drink her Majesty's health. He rang a bell, and a footman presently came up, of whom he inquired for the Lord Treasurer's gentleman; who soon appearing, I told him my business, and he went in and told my Lord, who sent for me in. I acquainted his Lordship that I waited on him by the direction of Lord Sunderland, who had encouraged us to hope his Lordship would do us the honour to introduce us with our address to the Queen. He told me, that if I would bring my brethren up thither, he would readily go with us to her Majesty. I observed Mr. Harley was there with his Lordship; and he gave me a look upon the occasion, the language of which was very intelligible, considering what had passed. We soon came up thither together, and were standing in my Lord's ante-chamber, when Mr. Harley came out from him, and he passed through the midst of us. None that were present could help observing, what a look he gave us! We were soon brought to the Queen, and never were more graciously received. We not only all kissed her hand, but were nobly entertained at dinner at the Board of Green Cloth, a favour we had never had before. Mr. Ollyffe, now published his "Third Defence of Ministerial Conformity:" for my sentiments about which, I refer to my Abridgment.* Now also was that intercourse by letter between Geneva and Oxford, as occasioned Mr. Spademan's Stricturæ, some time after. This year, (1706) died Mr. George Hammond;† who was succeeded as lecturer at Salter's Hall, by Mr. Benjamin Robinson.‡ This year was published, "the Complete History of England," three vols., folio. In the third volume, my Abridgment (1st edition,) is frequently cited, and several unkind reflections made on the Nonconformists; to which I have made a return, as they came in my way, in marginal notes, in the second edition. Several remarks also on the said Complete History," may be met with, in the History of England, during the reigns of the Royal House of Stuart." 66 66 About this time I was applied to, by a certain gentleman of the long robe, with a question on a case of conscience, to which he earnestly desired I would give an answer in writing. The question or case proposed, was this: "Whether a gentleman, whose moderation in the lebates between the Conformists and Nonconformists is well known, who has publicly declared himself in * P. 697, 698.-C. See supra, p. 39.—ED. + See Vol. i. p.503.-ED. See Vol. i. p. 397, note.-ED. |