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BOOK II it seems to have answered the purpose intended. The event proved, that the ships thus employed in the destruction of the property of the enemy would have been more beneficially engaged in the protection of our own: for the trade of the kingdom suffered greatly during the summer from the depredations of the French privateers; many merchant vessels from Barbadoes and the neighbouring islands, and no less than five East Indiamen, valued at a million sterling, having fallen into their hands, to the equal wonder and discontent of the commercial world; the English fleets being now every where masters of the sea.

Parliament dissolved.

The king returned to England early in October 1595, and was received as a conqueror with great and universal acclamation. A resolution was taken in council forthwith to dissolve the parliament, which might yet have sat another session. During the election, the king made a progress to the north; and partook, as before, of the diversions of the turf at Newmarket, where he received the compli ments of the university of Cambridge. Having staid there three days, he went on the 21st to Althrop, a seat of the earl of Sunderland, who was now publicly known to be in high credit with the king. From Althrop he proceeded to CastleAshby and Boughton, the mansions of the earls of Northampton and Montague; thence to Burghley, Welbeck, Warwick Castle, and Wood

stock. From this place he repaired on the 9th of BOOK III. November to Oxford, and was waited on by the 1695. duke of Ormond, chancellor of the university, and the heads of colleges, professors, &c. in their formalities; the conduit at Carfax running all the time with wine. And so much gratified was the university with his majesty's condescensions, and so well reconciled to his government at this period, that sir William Trumbull, the new secretary, was chosen to represent them in parliament.

terest re

Ascen

Throughout the kingdom the whig interest pre- whig In vailed in the new elections; and at the meeting of gains its the new parliament, November 22d, 1695, the dency. king expressed in his opening speech his entire satisfaction at the choice which his people had made. Mr. Foley was again placed in the speaker's chair; and the two houses, in their addresses to the throne, congratulated the glorious success of his majesty's arms; and engaged effectually to assist him in the prosecution of the war, which they confirmed by voting very large and liberal supplies.

Bill.

Four days after the meeting of parliament, a Treason bill, which had been formerly offered and rejected, for regulating trials in cases of high treason, was once more brought into the house by the tories. The design of it, according to bishop Burnet seemed to be to make men as safe in all treasonable conspiracies and practices as possible; it being enacted," that all persons indicted for high

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BOOK III. treason, or misprision of treason, shall have a copy of the whole indictment five days, and of the panel of the jurors two days, at least, before the trial; that they shall be permitted the assistance of counsel; that they shall not be convicted but upon the oaths of two witnesses, joining to evidence some overt act; that the indictment be found within three years after the offence be committed; that no evidence be admitted of any overt act not expressly laid in the indictment; that they shall have like process to compel their witnesses to appear for them, as is usually granted to witnesses against them; and that they be allowed peremptorily to challenge thirty-five of the jury." The whigs, in common with the court, loth openly and directly to oppose so equitable and popular a measure, were contented to argue that the security of the subject was best provided for when the best provision was made for the security of the government. And that, therefore, the law ought to continue on its ancient footing, at least till the war should be brought to a conclusion. Amongst those who rose in support of this bill, and particularly that clause of it which allows the assistance of counsel to the parties accused, was lord Ashley, grandson of the great earl of Shaftesbury, and pupil of the famous LOCKE; at this time little known, but at a later period of his life universally admired, and celebrated as the author of "The

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Characteristics." Although he had premeditated BOOK III. his speech, it so happened, that, struck with the august presence and deep attention of his auditory, he was disconcerted and unable to proceed. After a pause, recovering from his embarrassment, he converted, by the happiest effort of ingenuity, this incident, so common and trivial, into an argument in favor of the bill irresistibly powerful and impressive. "If I, sir," said this youthful and ingenuous speaker, "who rise only to give my opinion on the bill now depending, and have no personal concern in the question, am so confounded that I am unable to find voice or words to express the least portion of that which I proposed to say, what must the condition of that man be, who, without any assistance, is pleading for his life, and suffering under the immediate apprehensions of being deprived of it?" This sudden appeal to the heart operated more powerfully than the most labored eloquence. The bill passed in a tumult of applause; and it was immediately transferred to the lords, who added to it a clause formerly rejected by the commons: "that to the trial of a peer all the peers should be summoned." Contrary, however, to the hopes of the court, the commons, rather than risque the bill, agreed to the amendment; and the act received the royal assent. The final success of this attempt, after the repeated failures of the patriots

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BOOK III. respecting this great point, confirmed anew the maxim of lord Coke, " that seldom or ever any good bill or good motion, which had once been entered on the journals of the house, though it miscarried at first, was wholly lost to the nation.”

Re-coinage

of Silver.

Extravagant Grant

of Portland.

The ill state of the silver coinage, which had long been a subject of grievous complaint, was this session taken into the serious consideration of parliament. Such was the depreciation of the current coin, in consequence of the practice of clipping and other infamous frauds, that thirty shillings in the common course of exchange were equivalent only to one guinea. A resolution was therefore taken, to call in and re-coin the whole of the silver currency: and though confident predictions were bazarded of the evils that would ensue from the temporary suspension of the usual medium of commerce, the whole project was carried into speedy and successful execution, under the able and dexterous management of Mr. Montague, chancellor of the exchequer, who conducted himself in this difficult business entirely to the satisfaction of the parliament and of the public.

An affair of a very different nature was nearly to the Earl at the same time canvassed in parliament, which exposed the king to severe censure, and excited in his breast very sensible chagrin. The earl of Portland, a man highly and upon many accounts deservedly esteemed by the king, but of a dispo