pear to deserve the censure of that house. His BOOK IL grace then assumed a very lofty tone, ill suited 1695. to the occasion, and declared it to be a bold word indeed, but a truth, that the house would not have been sitting at this time but for himThat he had been formerly pursued for being in the French interest, but that he hoped that all the actions of his life would justify him from the charges brought against him.-As to the present matter, it was true Firebrace had been introduced to him-but that, upon his faith and honor, he had neither directly nor indirectly touched one penny of the money; nor did he think Bates was a man to be concerned in an ill thing. He insinuated that a design had been framed against him, previous to the naming the committee-that relative to this business he had a thread which he hoped to spin finer still. That he asked nothing but justice, but he trusted that no severe sense would be put on what would bear a candid one. He trusted that the house would reconsider this matter; and if they were determined to proceed, he hoped it would be speedily; for that he would rather want counsel, want time, want any thing, than lie under their displeasure -And he prayed that he might not suffer upon a rack, or under a blast, till a parliament should sit again; but that he might have speedy justice." The duke being withdrawn, it was remarked by BOOK II. his enemies in the house, that speedy justice was 1695. indeed to be wished; and that if any malicious ment of the Duke of Leeds. contrivance against him could be traced by the means of any such clue as his grace boasted to have in his possession, he would no doubt be cleared by his peers, who were the proper judges of the merits or demerits of the charge. The house then resolved, 1st, that the impeachment Impeach- should be immediately carried up to their lordships' bar by Mr. Comptroller Wharton, &c.; and 2dly, that the committee do forthwith draw up articles of impeachment in due and regular form. In a few days the articles were reported to the house, and, being agreed to, were engrossed and sent up to the lords; charging the duke of Leeds with "high crimes and misdemeanours, in that, being president of the council, and sworn to give their majesties true and faithful advice, he had, contrary to his oath, office, and duty, &c. contracted and agreed with certain merchants trading to the East Indies, to procure a charter of confirmation, &c. for the sum of 5500 guineas." During this interval Robart, in whose hands the money had been deposited, thought it expedient to abscond: and the duke of Leeds, knowing the evidence to be now incomplete, urged anew the immediate prosecution of the impeachment, and talked in high terms of the hardship and injustice of delay, His 1695. He moved the house of peers, that, if the house BOOK II. of commons did not reply to the answer he had put in, the impeachment might be discharged, otherwise he might lie under the reproach of it all his life. The commons, confounded at this incident, acknowledged that the withdrawment of M. Robart since the impeachment was drawn up, was the reason why they were not in readiness to make it good. grace the lord president then, exclaiming in severe terms against the commons for doing such an unheard-of and unprecedented thing, as to charge a man with crimes before they had all the evidence to make it good, informed the house, that from a letter left by Robart, from the temper of the man, and from a particular knowledge he had both of him and the thing, he would not be seen here again in haste. "So," said his grace, "if this man be insisted upon as a material evidence, and that my trial is to be delayed till he is forthcoming, when am I likely to be tried?"-. And he concluded with again urging" that the impeachment shall fall, if not immediately proceeded upon." A prorogation of parliament taking place at this precise juncture, and in the midst of these proceedings, the enquiry, though not formally, was virtually relinquished: but the most disgraceful imputations adhered from this time to his grace's character. It ought at the 1695. BOOK II. same time to be recorded, to the honor of the earls of Portland and Nottingham, that it appeared from the report of the committee, that these noblemen refused with indignation the presents or bribes severally offered them from the same quarter, and for the obtainment of the same object. Sir Wil Notwithstanding the stigma thus indelibly affixed to the duke of Leeds, he still continued, little to the satisfaction of the public, at the head of the council. His name, however, was not to be found amongst the lords of the regency appointed by the king on his departure for the continent. These consisted of the archbishop of Canterbury, the lord keeper Somers, the lord privy seal Pembroke, the lord steward Devonshire, the lord chamberlain Dorset, the secretary of state Shrewsbury, and the first lord of the treasury Godolphin. About this time sir John Trenchard, secretary bull made of state, removed from his office by the mighty mandate of death, was succeeded by sir William Trumbull, a man formed very much upon the model of sir William Temple; and who, like him and a few others, had been employed in the conduct of affairs previous to the Revolution, with honor to himself and advantage to the public. Being envoy in France when the edict of Nantz was repealed, he acted a most humane and worthy part in assisting the protestants to escape with their property from the rage of persecution. From Paris liam Trum Secretary of State. he was sent to Turkey, and resided several years at BOOR81 Constantinople with great credit and reputation. 1695. Scotland. In the present spring (1695) a session of par- Affairs of liament was held in Scotland-the marquis of Tweeddale being high commissioner. and India established In the course of it a very remarkable act passed African for the establishing a company by the name of Company the Company of Scotland trading to Africa and the Indies. This company, in which almost the whole commercial strength of Scotland was comprehended, were authorized to freight their own or hired ships for ten years from any of the ports or places in that kingdom, or from any other ports or places in amity with his majesty, to any lands, islands, &c. in Asia, Africa, or America; and there to plant colonies, hold cities, towns, or forts, in or upon the places not inhabited or possessed by any European sovereign or state: with an exclusive right against all persons not of the said company-provided that all the ships so freighted should make their returns to Scotland, on pain of confiscation. And an exemption from all impositions, duties, and taxes, was granted to the company for the term of twenty-one years. This very important act, which was passed by the lord commissioner under the general instructions he had received for passing such laws as might tend to the encouragement of trade, excited in Scotland the most eager and flattering hopes, and in England the most alarming jealousies and appre கத் |
