The Committee do not take upon them to explain what Conjuncture France had in View, and which they thought not very remote, when Dunkirk might be of particular Service; but think it proper to conclude this Part of the Report with obferving, that the Pretender did, immediately upon the Demife of the late Queen, publish a Declaration, which the Duke of Lorrain has acknowledg'd in his Letter of the 6th of December, 1714, that he receiv'd from the Pretender himself, wherein is this remarkable Paffage. Yet contrary to our Expectations upon the Death of the Princefs our Sifter, (of whofe good Intentions towards us we could not for feme Time past well doubt; and this was the Reason we then fat ftill, expecting the good Effects thereof, which were unfortunately prevented by her deplorable Death) we found that our People, instead of taking this favourable Opportunity of retrieving the Honour and true Intereft of their Country, by doing us and themselves fuftice, had mmediately proclaim'd for their King a foreign Prince, to our Prejudice, contrary to the Fundamental and Inconteftable Laws of Hereditary Right, which their pretended Acts of Settlement can never Abrogate.

After this, the Committee infert at large a Letter from the Earl of Oxford and Mortimer to the Queen, dated June the 9th, 1714; with an Account of Publick Affairs from Auguft the 8th, 1710, to June the 8th, 1714, all written with his own Hand. The Letter is as follows:

May it pleafe your Majefty,

Tho' I

Prefume, in Obedience to your Royal Commands, to lay before your Majesty a State of your Affairs. have very much contracted it from the Draught I made, and the Vouchers from whence it is taken, yet I find it fwell under my Pen in tranfcribing, being willing to put every Thing before Your Majefty in the cleareft Light my poor Understanding can attain to. It was neceffary to lay it before your Majesty in the Series of Time, from the Beginning to this prefent' Time; and when that is compleatly laid before you, it remains only For me to beg God to direct your Majesty.

And as to myself, do with me what you pleafe, place mé ither as a Figure, or a Cypher, difplace me, or replace me, as that beft ferves your Majefty's Occafions, you shall ever find me, with the utmoft Devotion, and without any Referve,

MADAM,

Your most dutiful, moft faithful, most humble,

moft obedient Subject, and unworthy Servant,

OXFORD.

S 3

A Brief Account of Publick Affairs fince Auguft the 8th, 1710, to this prefent 8th of June, 1714. To which is added, The State of Affairs Abroad, as they relate to this Kingdom; with fome humble Propofals for fecuring the future Tranquillity of her Majefty's Reign, and the Safety of her Kingdoms.

H

WER Majefty on the 9th of August, 1710, was pleas'd to alter her Treafury, and two Days after, in a new Commiffion, Robert Harley, by her Majefty's great Favour, was made Chancellor of the Exchequer. The State of Affairs at Home and Abroad are fresh in every ones Memory.

The Condition of the Treafury at that Time was laid before her Majefty in a large Reprefentation. I beg leave to touch fome few Heads. The Army was in the Field; no Money in the Treasury; none of the Remitters would Contract again; the Bank had refus'd to lend a Hundred Thousand Pounds to Lord Godolphin on very good Secu rity; the Navy, and other Branches of Service, Eleven Millions in Debt, which enhanc'd the Price of every Thing proportionably; the Civil Lift in Debt about Six Hundred Thousand Pounds, and the yearly Income too little for the currant certain Expence, by the loweft Computation, One Hundred Twenty Four Thousand, Four Hundred Ninety Five Pounds, Two Shillings and Four Pence.

In a few Days this new Commiffion made Provision for paying the Army by the greatest Remittance that had ever been known; tho' the Oppofition from every Office, which was full of Perfons who were Enemies to the Change made by the Queen, was very strong, and very troublesome and vexatious; and fuch was the Situation of Affairs, that nothing but great Patience could ever have overcome thefe Difficulties; it being impoffible, as well as unavoidable, to make Removes, but by Degrees.

As foon as it was poffible, (and notwithstanding the Clamours then rais'd, it was the only proper Time) a new Parliament is call'd. Its first Meeting was November the 27th, 1710, Robert Harley had prepar'd the Funds ready, (before the Parliament met, as he has done every Seflion to this Day) not only for the Current Service of the Year, both by Sea and Land, but alfo for eafing the Nation of above Nine Millions of Debt. This was thought fo Chi

merical

merical when Robert Harley did begin to open it,. that it was treated with Ridicule, until he fhew'd how practicable it was. It is true, this gave great Reputation Abroad, and enabled to treat advantageously of a Peace; it rais'd finking Credit at Home; but at the fame Time as it drew Envy upon Harley from fome, and the Rage of others, fo it gave Offence to fome of his Fellow Servants, who told him plainly, that he ought to have told his Secret, and if he would not get Money himself, he ought to have ler his Friends fhare a Hundred Thousand Pounds, which would not have been felt or found out in fo vaft a Sum as Nine or Ten Millions.

To this Principle was owing the fetting on Foot at this Time the unhappy Voyage to Canada: To all which Meetings Harley avoided coming, and gave Lord Rochester his Reasons, and after he defir'd his Lordship to be a Means to the Queen to hinder that Expedition; but it happen'd to be too late. But Lady Massam knows how much Harley was concern'd at it, tho' he did not know the true Spring of that Voyage, which will appear after in this Paper.

The Beginning of February, 1710-11, there began to be a Divifion amongst thofe call'd Tories in the House, and Mr. Secretary St. John thought it convenient to be lifting a feparate Party for himself. To prevent this, Lord Rochester and Harley defir'd to have a Meeting, and to cool fuch rafh Attempts; and it was contriv'd Mr. Secretary St. John fhould invite us to Dinner, (which was the laft Time he ever invited Robert Harley, Leing now above three Years) where was Duke of Shrewsbury, Earl Poulet, Lord Rochester, and others; and Lord Rochester took the Pains to calm the Spirit of Divifion and Ambition.

Harley was at this Time feiz'd by a violent Fever, and on his first coming Abroad, March 8, met with a Misfortune which confin'd him many Weeks. The Transactions during that Time are too publick, as well as too black, for Harley to remember or to mention.

In the End of May 1711, the Queen, out of her abounded Goodnefs, was pleas'd to confer undeferv'd Honours on Robert Harley; and on the 29th of the fame Month, was pleas'd to put the Treasurer's Staff into his Hands: A Poft fo much above Harley's Abilities to struggle with, that he had nothing but Integrity and Duty to recommend him to her Majesty's Choice; fo he must have Recourfe to her Majefty's tranfcendent Goodness and Mercy

S 4

to pardon all his Faults and Failings, both of Omiffion and Commiffion, during the whole Courfe of his Service.

But to return and refume the Thread of this Difcourfe : The 4th of June 1711, three Days after the 'Freasurer was fworn, he was furpriz'd with a Demand of Twenty Eight Thoufand Thirty Six Pounds and Five Shillings, for Arms and Merchandize, faid to be fent to Canada. When the Treasurer fcrupled this, Mr. Secretary St., John and Mr. Moor came to him with much Paffion upon this Affair; and about a Fortnight after, the Secretary of State fignify'd the Queen's pofitive Pleafure to have that Money paid; and accordingly her Majefty fign'd á Warrant June 21, and the Treasurer not being able then, with all his Precaution, to discover further Light, the Money was paid July the 4th, 1711. Since the Return from that Expedition, the Secret is difcover'd, and the Treasurer's Sufpicion juftify'd; for the Publick was cheated of above Twenty Thoufand Pounds. There is Reafon to be more particular upon this Head, because it. is one of the Things never to be forgiven the Treasurer; and Lord Chancellor told him more to that Purpofe; that they told him no Government was worth ferving, that would not let them make thofe Advantages, and get fuch Jobbs.

One Thing more is crav'd Leave to be added, That the Treafurer was forc'd to ufe all his Skill and Credit to keep the Houfe of Commons from examining this Affair laft Parliament.

June the 12th, 1712, the firft Seffion of laft Parliament ended. From this Time, to the Beginning of the next Seffion, the Treasurer's Hands were full of negociating the Peace in all Courts Abroad; and befides the ordinary and neceffary Duty of his Office at Home, he had frequent Occafion of calming the Quarrels and Grudges Mr. Secretary had fame times againft Lord Dartmouth, Come times against Lady Maffam, and fometimes against the Treasurer himself.

The fecond Seffion of the laft Parliament began December the 7th, 1711. This was attended with great Diffieulties and Dangers, as well from the Practices of the Difcontented here, as the Defigns carry'd on by Mr. Buys, Prince Eugene, and Bothmar; in which Denfigs concurr'd the Emperor, and other States and Princes who gain'd by the War. This put her Majefty under a Sort of Neceffity to preferve the whole, and to take a Method which had

been

been used before to create fome new Peers. So many having been brought formerly out of the Houfe of Commans of those who used to manage Publick Affairs, it was propos'd to Mr. Secretary, That if he would be contented to stay in the Houfe of Commons that Seffions, her Majefty would have the Goodness to create him a Peer, and that he should not lofe his Rank. The fecond Seflion ended the 21st of June, 1712; and notwithstanding Bothmar's Memorial, and all other Attacks both from Abroad and at Home, Supplies were provided, and every Thing relating to the Publick put upon a good Foot, and the Malecontents began to defpair, as appear'd by the Duke of Mariborough retiring Abroad, and other Particulars.

After the Seflion was ended, the Queen, as he had promis'd, order'd a Warrant for Mr. Secretary St. John to be a Viscount; this happen'd to put him in the utmost Rage against the Treasurer, Lady Maffam, and without fparing the greatest. It did avail very little, to tell him how much he had got in Place; for had he been created with the other Lords, it would have fallen to his Share to have come next after Lord Trevor; but the Treasurer with great Patience bore all the Storm, of which Lord Maffam was often a Witnefs of the outrageous Speeches; and Mr. Moor very lately told the Treafurer, that Lord Bolingbroke faid very lately to him, that he ow'd him a Revenge upon that Head. This Difcontent continu'd, until there happen'd an Opportunity of fending him to France; of which there was not much Occafion; but it was hoped, that this would have put him in good Humour ; which it did, until in October 1712, there were Knights of the Garter made. This created a new Disturbance, which is too well remember'd, and breaks out now very often in outrageous Expreflions publickly against all then

made.

In November, on the Death of Duke Hamilton, he was much against Duke Shrewsbury's going, for Reafons very plain, which then were in Negociation; for before the laft Seffion of that Parliament began, a new Model was fram'd, or a Scheme of Miniftry; which how they afterwards came to fall out, will appear in its due

Place.

The third and laft Seffion began April the 9th, 1713, which was as foon as the Peace was concluded, and could be proclaim'd. It is not decent to take Notice, That during this whole Negociation, the Treasurer was oblig'd by his own Hand, and his own Charge, to correfpond in all

the