and engagements for the defence of the kingdom, &c. Carried by 270 voices against S9. Colonel Dunbar was appointed his Majefty's conful at St. Sebaftian in Spain. The grants for this year amounted to 1,727,3441. 95. 3d. 1726, April 1. Brigadier-general Sutton was appointed envoy extraordinary to the king of Pruffia, in the room of colonel Dubourgay, who was recalled. The amount of the fale of the late South-Sea Directors eftates was 1,984,352% Disbursements and allowances to them, amounted to 845,3761. and there remained then unfold 809,000l. April 7. The South-Sea company fent twenty-four hips to fish for whales in Greenland. A fquadron of seven men of war commanded by admiral Hofer, failed to Porto Bello the beginning of this month. April 8. John Thompson, efq. alderman, was elected theriff of London, in the room of Jeremiah Murden, deceased. April 20. His Majefty having fent a meffage to the Commons, defiring they would enable him to increase the number of feamen already voted, &c. this occafioned a debate in the Houfe of Peers; and afterwards a proteft; for that this House was not confuited, which had an equal right to advife his Majefty, and because the appellation of Parliament was given to the House of Commons feparately, which could only be applied in conjunction. April 22. Richard Arundel, eq. was made furveyor-general of his Majefty's works, in the room of Sir Thomas Hewit, knt. deceased. April 23. Charles Talbot, efq. eldest fon of the bishop of Durbam, was appointed his Majesty's folicitor-general, in the room of Sir Clement Wearg, knt. deceased. Sir Charles Wager having been fent into the Baltic to affift the Danes and Swedes adding an hundred additional hackney chairs. An act for repairing the roads from Glow cefter to Hereford. An act for repairing the roads leading to Worcester. An act for repairing the walls and other public works in Norwich, with the bridges and roads. An act for repairing the roads between Lincoln and Nottingham. An act for repairing the road from Tybura to Uxbridge. An act for repairing the roads to Tewkfoury. An act for repairing the road from Pe tersfield to Portsmouth. An act for repairing the road from Wor cefter to Droitwich. An act for repairing the road from Liverpool to Prefcot. An act for repairing the road near Wymondbam in Norfolk. An act for repairing the road from Shenfield to Harwich in Effex. An act for repairing the road from Gloucefter to Stow. An act for beautifying St. James's-fquare, Colonel William Wyndham made lieutenant-governor of Chelfea hofpital in the room of colonel Chudleigh, deceased. April 28. Ifaac le Hep, efq. appointed his Majefty's plenipotenuary to the diet of Ratisbon. April 30. Thomas Ripley, efq. appointed Comptroller of his Majefty's works, in the room of Sir John Vanbrugh, deceased. May 5. The general afle a.bly of the kirk of Scotland met. May 13. Philip Gibbon, efq. made furveyor-general of his Majefty's cafties, lands, &. in England and Wales, in the room of Jobu Pulteney, efq. deceased. May 14. The duke de Riperia, prime minister of Spain, who had negotiated the Vienna treaty, fell under the difpica ure of against the Ruffians, &c. arrived at Copen-king Philip, and took refuge in the house bagen. April 26. The royal affent was given to An act to continue the duties upon malt, &c. in England; and for granting to his Majefty certain duties upon malt, &c. in Scotland; and for afcertaining the price of ale to be fold in Scotland, &c. An act for laying a duty upon victuallers, and retailers of beer and ale, within the bills of mortality; and prohibiting their fending it out of their houfes in veffels containing less than a gallon; and for of Mr. Stanhope, the English ambassador at Madrid. May 16. John Ward, of Hackney, efq. having been convicted of forging a deed, was expelled the House of Commons, May 17. The duke de Riperda being taken out of the English ambaffador's house by force, occafions a mifunderstanding between the courts of Spain and England. William Cavendish, efq. ufually filed mar. quis of Hartington, made captain of the band of Penfioners. May May 18. Sir William Temple, recorder of London, made Curfitor-Baron of the Exchequer, upon the refignation of Sir John Sympjon. May 24. The royal affent was given to An act for fettling the duty upon fnuff; and for encouraging the Greenland fishery. An act for vefting in his Majesty an impofition of two pennies Scots, upon ale and beer brewed and fold in Glafcow, for fatisfying the damages which Daniel Campbel, efq. lately fuffered in a riot there. An act for the improvement of his Majefty's revenues of customs, excife, and inland duties. An act for the better fecuring of the moneys and effects of the fuitors of the court of Chancery; and for preventing the counterfeiting of Eaft-India bonds, and indorfements thereon, as likewife indorsements on South-Sea bonds. An act for the relief of the fuitors of the high court of Chancery. An act to prevent unlawful combinations of workmen employed in the woollen manufactures, and for the better payment of their wages. An act to prevent frivolous and vexatious arrefts. An act for the better regulating trials by Nifi Prius in the county of Middiefex. An act for continuing the act of 9 Geo. for the more effectual punishment of perfons going armed in disguise, and doing injuries to the perfons and properties of his Majefty's fubjects, &c. commonly called The black at. An act to prevent abufes in the making of bricks and tiles within fifteen miles of London. An act for building a bridge cross the Thames from Fulham to Putney. An act for making the river Dun, in the Weft Riding of York, navigable. An act for making provifion for the rector of St. Mary le Strand, in Middlesex. And to thirteen private acts. After which the lord Chancellor read the King's fpeech, wherein be thanks the Parliament for the many inftances they had given of their affection to him, and particularly for the difcretionary power of applying the public money as he faw fit; afluring them, that the confidence they had repofed in him, fhould not be abused. Then the Parliament was prorogued to the 21ft of July next. May 26. Charles Lenox, duke of Richmond, | and Sir Robert Walpole, elected knights of the Garter, inftalled 16th June. May 31. Char. Douglafs, duke of Queenf bury and Dover, and Alexander Hume, earl of Marchmont, fworn of the Privy Council. June 3. Admiral Hofier having been fent to America, with a fquadron of men of war, to prevent the Spanish galleons coming to Europe, arrived at Porto Bello; whereupon the galleons unloaded their treasure again. June 7. King George fends a letter to the royal boroughs of Scotland, to put them in mind of improving their fisheries and manufactures, with the money granted them for that purpose, at the Union. June 10. A meffenger having been fent to Madrid with a letter, under the privyfeal, from his Majefty to the duke of Wharten, commanding the duke to return to England; his Grace being in, his coach when it was delivered to him, contemptu oufly threw it into the street without opening it and foon after, it is faid, declared himself a Roman Catholic, June 13. Mr. Stanhope, the English amballador at Madrid, delivers a memorial to that court, complaining of their taking the duke De Riperda out of his house by vio lence. June 15. King George having fent a letto the Czarina, by Sir Charles Wager, admiral of the Baltic fquadron, to demand the reafon of her fea-armament; and fuggefting, that he was in a confederacy with the Pretender; the Empress, in her answer, laughs at thefe infinuations, and tells him, he fent his fleet into the Baltic, rather to difturb the peace of the north, than to preserve it. The Imperialists prohibited the importation of the English woollen manufactures into Sicily. June 16. The French king discharged the duke of Bourbon from his poft of prime minister, and took the reins of government into his own hands; but declared, that he would be affifted by the bishop of Frejus (afterwards cardinal Fleury) in the adminiAtration, The King also declared, as to the favours he had to grant, he would be applied to in his own perfon : and, in a word, he would in every thing follow the example of the late King, his great grandfather Lewis XIV. The duke of Bourbon, it was faid, was facrificed to the refentment of the court of Spain, who would never forgive him sending back the Infanta. Upon the difgrace of of this minifter, the courts of France and Spain appeared to have been reconciled; of which Great Britain has fince felt the cffects. And it is obfervable, that the British court fell out with Spain juft at the time the French were reconciled to them; for at this time it was that Mr. Stanbepe, the British minifter at Madrid, demanded fatisfaction of the king of Spain, for taking the duke de Riperda out of his houfe. June 24. Sir John Locke, knt. and William Ogborn, eiq. elected fheriffs of London and Middlefex. July 8. Prince Frederic created duke of Edinburgh. July 15. Prince William created duke of Cumberland. July 16. Duke Maximilian-William of Brunfwick-Hanover, colonel of a regiment in the Emperor's fervice, and brother of king George, died a Roman Catholic at Vienna, in the 60th year of his age. July 21. George Cholmondeley, eldest fon of earl Cholmondeley, matter of the robes to his Majesty, in the room of earl Cadogan, deceased. Aug. 17. The Spaniards delivered a memorial to the English minifter at Madrid, wherein they defired to know his Britannic Majetty's intentions, in fending Sir John Jennings with a fquadron of men of war their coaft. upon Aug. 20. The Eaft-India company obtained a charter for incorporating their towns of Madraffapatan, Bombay, and fort William, to be governed each of them by a mayor and aldermen, who are impowered to make bye-laws, and exercise criminal as well as civil jurisdiction, except in cafes of high-treafon. Aug. 21. A dreadful earthquake happened at Palermo in Sicily, whereby part of that city was destroyed, and great numbers of people buried in the ruins. Aug. 26. Charles Pawlet, duke of Bolton, appointed governor of the isle of Wight, in the room of earl Cadogan, deceased. The duke of Argyle appointed colonel of the prince of Wales's regiment of horse, in the room of lord Londonderry. Lieutenant-general Willes made colonel of the first regiment of foot-guards, in the room of earl Cadogan, deceafed. Henry Lowther, viscount Lonsdale, appointed governor of the Tower of London. Count Maurice of Saxony, natural fon of Auguftus king of Poland, procured himself to be elected fucceffor to Ferdinand, the prefent duke of Courland; against which duke Ferdinand protested, the states of that duchy having been summoned in his name without his knowledge; the Ruffians allo protefted against it: the diet of Poland ba nished prince Maurice for refufing to appear before them, and decreed that the duchy of Courland fhould be divided into palatinates after the prefent Duke's death; against which decree duke Ferdinand also protested, infifting that this duchy had no dependance on the republic of Poland, and was fupported and encouraged by the Ruffians to oppofe the ufurpation of the Poles. Sept. 13. William Mackenzie earl of Seaforth was pardoned, having been attainted of high treason for the Prefton insurrection. Sept. 14. James Hamilton duke of Hamil ton was appointed one of the knights of the order of the Thiftle. Sept. 26. Charles Lenox duke of Richmond was appointed one of the lords of the bed-chamber. Sept. 29. Sir John Eyles, bart. was elected lord mayor of London. Oct. 16. Sir Thomas Pengelly, knt. was appointed lord chief baron of the Exchequer. Mr. Baron Price was made one of the juftices of the Common-pleas. Oct. 21. Mark Pringle, efq. was appointed conful at Seville. 08. 22. A terrible hurricane happened at Jamaica, which deftroyed feveral plantations, and a great fleet of fhips. Nov. 2. Sophia Dorothy, queen of Great Britain, died at the caftle of Ablen, in the electorate of Hanover, where fhe had been confined for many years. She was the only daughter and heirefs of George-William, duke of Brunswick-Zell; born Anno 1666, and married to George-Lewis, elector of Hanover, fince king of Great Britain, anna 1682; by whom she had iffue George Auguftus, king of Great Britain, born the 30th of Odober, 1683, and Sophia-Dorothy, born the 16th of March, 1687, and married to Frederic-William, the late king of Prussia, anno 1706. Nov. 3. Mr. Baron Page made one of the justices of the Common-pleas, in the room of Robert Tracey, efq. who refigned. John Comyns, efq. ferjeant at law, made one of the barons of the Exchequer. Edmund Probyn, efq. ferjeant at law, made one of the juftices of the King'sbench, in the room of Sir Littleton Powis, who refigned. Nov. 4. Lord viscount Lonsdale (worn of the privy-council. New นา Nev. 12. Exton Sayer, LL. D. appointed his Majesty's advocate in the court of Admiralty. Nov. 17. Robert Hardy, efq. appointed furveyor of his Majesty's works. Dec. 14. Thomas Wyndham, efq. lord chief juftice of the Common-pleas in Ireland, appointed lord chancellor, and one of the lords juftices of that kingdom, in the room of Richard Weft, efq. deceased. Major Goocks conftituted governor of Virginia, under the earl of Orkney, in the room of major Dryfdale, deceased, 1726-7, Jan. 17. The Parliament of Great Britain met, and the King gave the Lord Chancellor his fpeech to read to both Houfes; acquainting them, that a fecret and offenfive alliance had been concluded between the Emperor and Spain; that the placing the Pretender on the British throne was one of the fecret articles of that treaty; that Ruffia had been concerned in the invafion, if they had not been prevented by the British fleet fent to the Baltic: whereupon his allies of France and Holland had augmented their forces, and Sweden and Denmark were about to accede to the Hanover alliance; and he did not doubt but his Parliament would affift him to perform his part that the Spanish minifter was recalled abruptly, and had left a memorial behind him, little fhort of a declaration of war; wherein he demanded the reftitution of Gibraltar, and made the recalling the fquadrons his Majefty had fent to the Mediterranean and the Weft-Indies, the condition of any further correfpondence between the two crowns, looking upon the continuance of thofe fleets abroad, as actual hoftilities, and threatening to repel them by force: that the king of Spain was actually affembling an army in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar, but he had undoubted intelligence, their first and prineipal defign was to invade thefe kingdoms: he demanded therefore of the Commons the fupplies neceflary for the defence of their country; and, as they had the laft year enabled him to lay out what money he thought neceffary, he hoped they would repofe the fame truft and confidence in him again that his neceffities fhould never make him to touch the finking fund, but defired they would apply it to the use it was defigned for. Jan. 18. The Lords prefented an addrefs to his Majefty, thanking him for communicating the fituation of affairs to them, and for the wife measures he had taken for their fecurity; promifing to maintain his Majefty's right and title to the crown, and the present happy establish ment. The fame day a motion was made in the House of Commons for an addrefs to his Majefty; in which it was propofed to thank him for acquainting them with the state of affairs; to declare their refentment at the unjuft demand of Gibraltar, and the Emperor's ufurpations on our trade; but, above all, at the engagements to fet the Pretender on the throne; to thank the King for employing his fleets for their fecurity, and to defire his Majefty to give orders for putting the kingdom in a state of defence; and that they would ftand by and fupport him in fuch measures as he should take for the fecurity of his people, and the common interest of Europe. To which it was answered, that things of this importance required more deliberation; that the motion implied an approbation of the measures to prevent dangers, before they knew either what those measures were, or whether those dangers were real; that our measures of late years had been in a perpetual Auctuation, fometimes depreffing France, and fometimes the Emperor, and, under pretence of holding the balance of Europe, we fhould be engaged in perpetual wars. Another faid, that a defign of invading us with five or fix men of war was altogether romantic, and confe quently the fears of the Pretender groundlefs and chimerical. A third was of opinion, that the acquifition of fome dominions abroad were the true caufes of the divifions and diftractions which threatend Europe. However, the question being put, it was carried for the addrefs, by a majority of 251 against 81; and the addrefs was prefented the next day. Jan. 23. Twenty thousand men were voted for the fea-fervice, and four pounds a man per month, for maintaining them for the year enfuing. An augmentation of 8000 men for the land-service moved for in the House of Commons, which occafioned a debate, but was carried for the motion by a great majority. Twenty-fix thousand three hundred and eighty-three men were voted for the landfervice for the year enfuing, and 885,4941. for maintaining them, befides 157,637. for the garrisons in the plantations, Minorca and Gibraltar; and if we reckon 10,000 land forces in Ireland, the British land land-forces confifted of about 40,000 men this year, befides 12,000 mercenary Heffians; 30,750l. alfo was voted, for defraying feveral extraordinary expences and fervices incurred, and not provided for by Parliament. Jan. 24. Lord De la War reported from the committee of the whole House, appointed to take his Majefty's moft gracious fpeech into confideration, that the faid committee had accordingly taken the fame into confideration, together with the memorials, and other papers, referred to their Lordships; and were come to the following refolution, viz. That it fully appears to this committee, upon confideration of his Majefty's fpeech, and the letters and memorials laid before the Houfe by his Majesty's order, that the meafures his Majesty has thought fit to take, were honourable, juft, and neceffary, for preventing the execution of the dangerous engagements entered into in favour of the Pretender: for preferving the dominions belonging to Great Britain, by folemn treaties and particularly those of Gibraltar and the island of Minorca, and for maintaining to his people their most vaJuable rights, privileges of commerce, and the peace and tranquility of Europe. Which refolution being agreed to by the Houfe, occafioned a protest. Jan. 27. Four fhillings in the pound land-tax voted by the Commons for the fervice of the year 1727. Thomas Pitt, earl of Londonderry, appointed governor of the Leeward-iflands, in the room of John Hart, elq. Jan. 30. Brigadier-general Hunter appointed governor of Jamaica, in the room of the earl of Portland, deceased. Feb. 3 Richard Sutton, efq. brigadiergeneral, appointed envoy to the court of Pruffia. Feb. 5. Advice from Conftantinople of the defeat of the Turkish army in Perfia. Feb. 6. It was moved in the Houfe of Commons to addrefs his Majesty, to communicate to them copies of the declaration, letter, or engagement, which in the marquis de Pozabueno's letter to the duke of Newcastle is afferted, to be a pofitive promife for the reftitution of Gibraltar which occafioned a debate; and Mr. Pulteney, among other particulars, took notice of another letter, written anno 1721, to one of the Emperor's plenipotentiaries at Cambray, wherein a promife for the reftitution of Gibraltar is exprefsly mentioned: but the question being put, whether the question on this motion be now put; it paffed in the negative, 204 against 97. Feb. 7. A motion was made to addrefs his Majefty, that copies might be laid before the House of fuch memorials, or reprefentations, from Denmark or Saweden, as did induce his Majefty to fend a fquadron of fhips last year to the Baltic, at fo great an expence to this kingdom; but it passed in the negative, 196 against 79. Feb. 9. Dr. William Nicelfon, bishop of Londonderry, made archbishop of Caffil, and primate of Munfter, in Ireland. Feb. 10. Mr. Pelham, fecretary at war, prefented to the Houfe an estimate of the charge of 4000 horfe and 8000 foot of the landgrave of Hefe-Caffel's forces, from the ift of April to the 24th of December, 1727, flipulated for by a convention between his Majefty and the faid Landgrave. Feb. 13. Refolved, that the fum of 50,000l. to complete the fum of 125,000/ payable to the landgrave of Hefe-Caffel, for maintaining a body of 12,000 men, purfuant to a treaty, dated the 12th of March, 1725, be granted to his Majesty; and that the fum of 170,000l. be granted to his Majefty for a fubfidy to the said Landgrave, and to pay off 12,000 men, &c. That the fum of 160,306/. 173. 5d. be granted to make good the deficiencies of the year 1726. Feb. 14. Refolved, to addrefs his Ma jefty for a particular and diftinct account of the diftribution of the fum of 125,000% which is charged to have been iffued for other engagements. and expences (over and above fuch as were specified in the accounts layed before the House) for fecuring the trade of the kingdom, and preferving the peace of Europe, &c. Mr. Treasurer reported to the Houfe, on the 21st of February, that their addrefs had been prefented, and his Majefty had commanded him to acquaint the Houfe, that the fum of money mentioned in this addrefs had been iffued and difburfed pursuant to the power given to his Majefty by Parliament, for neceflary services and engagements of the utmost importance to the trade and navigation of this kingdom, and the tranqui lity of Europe, which require the greatest fecrecy; and therefore a particular and dif tinct account of the distribution of it cannot poffibly be given, without a manifect pre judice to the public. Feb. 15. Ferdinand Farnefe, duke of Parma, died, and was fucceeded by his brother Don Antonio Farucft.. Feb. |