A.D. Page 1674 He finds the States and their allies eager for the profecution of the war Vigorous exertions of Lewis XIV. 72 73 He enters Franche Comté, and fubdues the whole province ib. Bloody, but indecifive battle of Seneffe, in which the Prince of Orange greatly diftinguishes himself 74 He takes Grave, the last town which the French held in any of the Seven Provinces Rapid progrefs of Turenne His cruelties in the Palatinate ibid. 75 ibid. 1675 The Prince of Condé able to gain no advantage over the Prince of Orange in Flanders Masterly movements of Montecuculi and Turenne, on the fide take part with France Misfortunes of the King Sweden, who had been induced to ibid. 1676 The King of England concludes a new fecret Treaty with Lewis XIV. 79 He becomes a penfioner of France ibid. The Prince of Orange obliged to raise the fiege of Maeftricht 80 ibid. Lewis XIV. grows formidable by fea ibid. The French feet defeats the Spaniards and Dutch off Palermo, The Prince of Orange defeated at Mont Caffel, and Cambray and St. Omers reduced The English Commons folicit the King to enter into a league, offenfive and defenfive, with the States General of the United Provinces 84 Charles, conformable to his fecret engagements with France, prorogues the parliament, in order to evade their request ibid. His prodigality and difingenuoufness Distracted and declining ftate of Spain Her misfortunes increafe on every fide, in Flanders, Sicily, and Catalonia 86 ibid. The Duke of Luxemburg obliges the Prince of Orange to raise Charles II. of England encourages propofals of marriage from Plan of a general pacification All the other powers obliged to accept the conditions dictated Ineffectual attempts to render it void Vaft power of the French monarch ibid. ibid. England, from the Popish Plot, in 1678, to the Death of ibid. Great terror of popery and arbitrary power in England 94 Retrospective view of the affairs of Scotland 1669 Defpotic adminiftration of the Earl of Lauderdale ibid. ibid. 1678 Eight thousand Highlanders quartered on the gentlemen of the Their barbarous rapacity and unfeeling violence Lauderdale orders home the Highlanders, and procures a vote of an affembly of the nobility, gentry, and clergy of Scot- land, in favour of his administration England thrown into consternation by the rumour of a Popish Plot ibid. Account of Titus Oates, the chief actor in this horrid impof. ture ibid. A.D. Page 100 The King flights his pretended difcoveries ibid. 1678 Character of Dr. Tongue, his patron Pacquet of forged letters addreffed to Bedingfield, the Duke of Tongue and Oates examined before the privy council 101 ibid. 102 Sir George Wakeman, the Queen's phyfician; Coleman, late fecretary to the Duchefs of York, and other catholics taken into cuftody Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey ibid. Examination of Coleman's papers Advantage taken of this incident, in order to inflame the popu lar frenzy 104 His dead body expofed to view, and his funeral celebrated with great pomp and parade ibid. An univerfal belief of the Popish Plot prevails, and the whole kingdom is filled with the most frightful apprehenfions ibid. The Earl of Danby opens the story of the Plot in the House of Peers 105 ibid. Oates examined at the bar of the House of Commons Coleman, and many other catholics executed 106 ibid. 107 Oates rewarded with a penfion, has guards appointed for his Evidence produced against him 108 ibid. An impeachment voted in the House of Commons, and articles. exhibited in the House of Peers 1679 The King diffolves the Parliament in order to fave his Minifter 110 ibid. He entreats his brother the Duke of York, to conform to the He is flattered by the Earl of Shaftesbury with the hopes of fucceeding to the crown ibid. The King makes a folemn declaration of the illegitimacy of 112 The new Parliament no less violent than the former, and confifts nearly of the fame members ibid. A.D. 1 1679 The Commons revive their profecution of Danby Page 112 He furrenders to the Black Rod, and is committed to the 113 Charles, in order to foothe the Commons, changes his minifters, and admits many popular leaders into the privycouncil The Commons remain diffatisfied ibid. 114 They frame a bill for excluding the Duke of York from the fucceffion to the crown, and continue their profecution of Danby Difpute between the Lords and Commons ibid. 115 The King makes it a pretext for diffolving the Parliament ibid. 116 Act of Habeas Corpus paffed by it ibid. The rage againft popery in England encourages the Scottish 117 Murder of Archbish Sharp ibid. The Covenanters more feverely perfecuted ibid. They have recourse to arms 118 Are routed and difperfed by the Duke of Monmouth at Bothwell bridge ibid. Monmouth ufes his victory with moderation ibid. The government of Scotland committed to the duke of York, 119 ibid. ibid. Rife of the names of Whig and Tory 1680 New Parliament more violent than either of the two former ib. The Commons bring in a bill for excluding the Duke of York from the throne 120 It paffes the Lower Houfe, but is rejected by the lords ibid. The Commons enraged at their difappointment, revive the impeachment of the Popish Lords ibid. Trial, condemnation, and execution of the earl of Stafford 121 Not fatisfied with this facrifice, the Commons continue to difcover their ill humour in many factious votes and furious refolutions 1681 The king diffolves the Parliament The violence of the Commons increases the number of his friends among the people ibid. The king fummons a new parliament to meet at Oxford Petition against its fitting at that place The elections every where carried in favour of the Whigs Confidence of the popular leaders Firmness and vigour of the king 124 ibid. 125 ibid. 126 The 8 A.D. Page 1681 The Commons, not over-awed, difcover the fame violence as formerly; they revive the impeachment of Danby, the inquiry into the Popish Plot, and the Bill of Exclufion 126 The king pe mits one of his minifters to make them a proposal for excluding the Duke of York, without breaking the line of fucceffion They reject it with difdain ibid. 127 The king, thinking he had now a fufficient apology for fuch a measure diffolves the Parliament ibid. ibid.. Confternation of the popular leaders 128 Addreffes full of loyalty and duty pour in from all the legal focieties in the kingdom ibid. The king makes a tyrannical ufe of this fudden revolution of the fentiments of the nation in his favour He perfecutes the Prefbyterians, and other Proteftant dissen ters Juftice perverted for their punishment ibid. 129 ibid. 1682 Writ of Quo Warranto iffued against the city of London, and its charter declared forfeited 1693 Charter restored under certian restrictions 130 ibid. Almost all the corporations in England, intimidated at the fate of the capital, furrender their charters, and receive new ones, fabricated by the court A perfect defpotism is established ibid. 131 ibid. ibid. 132 Confpiracy for the restoration of the freedom of the constitution, The Plot difcovered Lord Ruffell and Algernon Sidney, two of the principal confpirators executed ibid. The king univerfally congratulated on his efcape from this danger, and the doctrine of unlimited paffive obedience openly taught 133 The Univerfity of Oxford paffes a folemn decree in favour of abfolute monarchy ibid. 1684 The perfecution of the Proteftant Sectaries renewed; the perverfion of justice carried to a ftill greater excess, and the Duke of York reftored to the office of High Admiral, without taking the Teft 134 The abfolute authority of the king feems complete: yet even in that height of his power, he is faid to have projected a change of measures ibid. |