A. C. 170. at the time of the intended Invafion of Scotland, to disappoint the Designs of Her Majesty's Enemies 'both at Home and Abroad, by fitting out a fufficient Number of Men of War, ordering a competent Number of Troops from Flanders, giving Directions for the Forces in Ireland to be ready for. 'the Affiftance of the Nation, and by making the neceffary and proper Difpofitions of the Forces in England. However it was obferv'd, by the Perfon who did *Towards fome time after publish an Account of the Scotch Inthe end of vafion, as it was open'd by my Lord Haversham in the Apr. 1709. Houfe of Lords on the 25th of February 1708-9 (in the +Pag. 20. Speech before-mention'd) That † the fame Papers do feq. being laid before the Houfe of Commons, purfuant to their Addrefs, produc'd the like Obfervations 'there; and that the Scotch Gentlemen concurr'd with the English, in blaming the Conduct of the 'My; affirming it was fuch as gave great Encouragement to the Enemies of the Government; 'while its Friends look'd on their Country to be perfectly given up: which they faid was their general Senfe. In the Houfe of Commons (fays the Author "before-mention'd, for I only copy his words) fome Obfervations were alfo made upon the imprisoning many Perfons in Scotland at that time; feveral 'Lords and Gentlemen of the beft Quality and Eftates were apprehended and feized, by virtue of "Warrants fent from hence, for fufpicion of Trea'fon and Treasonable Practifes: Tho' it does not appear from the Papers there was any Caufe to fufpect them, nor that any of their Country-Men (who were the propereft Perfons to be advised 'with on this occafion) were confulted in it. For the Earl of Mar in his Letter to the Earl of Leven, 'March 9. writes, That he, with the Dukes of Queensberry and Montrofs; the Earls of Lowdon and Senfield, were fummon'd to the Cabinet, and 'were told there, that fince both Houfes had, for fecuring fufpected Perfons, fufpended the Habeas "Corpus Act, it was fit Perfons in Scotland fhould be apprehended; and a Lift was read to them, which they took down in Writing, and Warrants were 'ready drawn. This was certainly a very extraordinary way of Proceeding, and the more extraordinary, traordinary, because the greatest part of the Lords A. C. and Gentlemen taken up by thefe Warrants had 170. given undoubted Teftimonies ever fince the Revolution, (in which, fome of them had been very Active and Inftrumental) of their Fidelity and good Affection to the Government: They had ta"ken all Oaths that have been enjoin'd for its Se"curity; they had fate in Parliament, and fome of them had been in Offices and Employments of great Truft, in the Reign of King William and of Her Majefty. Others under the like Circumftances, were taken up by Warrants, bearing Date the 29th of March, when the Danger was over; 'which made the Scotch Gentlemen very free in declaring, that the taking them up could be for no other Reason than to influence the approaching Elections to Parliament; and for their Diaffection to the Interefts fome Courtiers then promoted, " rather than for their Difaffection to Her Majefty's 'Perfon and Government; in which they are more confirmed, because they faw there was no Evi'dence in the Papers against any of them. There was indeed fome Evidence of High-Treafon pretended against five Gentlemen, taken up by Warrants from the Privy-Council of Scotland; but that < fuch as the Lord Advocate writes, Neither he nor the other Advocates employ'd for Her Majesty, did "think would convict them, and therefore he humbly offered it as their Opinion, that it would be more for the Honour and Service of Her Majefty and of Her Government, that they should not be profecuted. The "Earl of Sunderland in his Anfwer acquainted him, 'He had laid his Memorial before Her Majesty, who was well fatisfied with what he had done, in procuring Evidence against the Prifoners; and tho' poffibly upon their Trial, the Evidence might not be fufficient to convict them by the Law of Scotland, yet confidering all the Circumstances of that Affair, and the Noife it has made in the World, Her Majesty thought it abfolutely neceffary for Her Service, that it be carried as far as it will bear: Accordingly they were brought upon their Trials, and acquitted. After all the Obfervations made upon the Papers, the Confiderations of them in the Houfe of Commons, ending in the Refolution beforemention'd, Y 3 the A. C. 170. their Pri vileges. the Gentlemen that were against it defired, that Count Gallas, Envoy Extraordinary from the Emperor and King Charles, having procur'd a Copy of the Bill that was depending in the House of Commons, for preferving the Privileges of Ambaffadors, and other publick Minifters, and communicated the fame to the Baron Spanheim, the King of Pruffia's Ambaffador Extraordinary, the latter, convened (4) Feb.19. (a) at his own House, moft of the Foreign Ministers then in London, who upon mature deliberation, reObfervati folv'd to lay before the Earl of Sunderland and the ons of the Right Honourable Mr. Boyle, Her Majefty's principal Foreign Mi- Secretaries of State, their Obfervations on the Nanifters on ture and Form of the faid Bill; which they (b) did the Bill for in a Memorial, importing, That the Preamble of preferving it mention'd only the particular Indignity offer'd 'to the Mufcovité Ambaffador, and his being ar(b) Feb. 20.refted and taken out of his Coach by Violence, &c. in "Contempt of the Protection granted by Her Majefty; without taking notice of the Law of Nations, on which 'the Privileges of Ambaffadors are founded, and ' which is fuperior and antecedent to all Municipal Laws: And therefore in the faid Preamble these Words fhould be added, Contrary to the Law of Nations, and in Prejudice of the Rights and Privileges which Ambaffadors and other publick Minifters, authorix'd and receiv'd as fuch, have, at all times, been thereby poffefs'd of, and ought to be kept facred and inviolable. II. That in the Claufe for preventing for the future the Suing, Arrefting or Imprifoning < of publick Minifters, it fhould be made Criminal to offer them any Infult or ill Treatment. III. That their Equipages, Goods, and other Effects, of what "Nature foever, ought likewife to enjoy the fame Protection as their Perfons and Servants, and not be A. C. ⚫ be feized or flopp'd on any Pretence. IV. That their Houses ought to be accounted and declared 170 Sanctuaries, and no Bailiffs or other Officers of Juftice allow'd to enter the fame. V. And that Foreign Ambaffadors and other Minifters, ought to enjoy the faid Privileges from their first coming into Great Britain, till they are out of Her Majefty's Dominions; even after they have had their Audiences of Leave, as long as they retain their Character. The fubftance of this Memorial being communicated to the Committee, to whom that Bill was referr'd, they inferted the firft Amendment in the Preamble, but did not think proper to mention the other Particulars; And Mr. Compton having on the 12th of March, reported the feveral Amendments made to the Bill, the Houfe added à Clause,That no Perfon fhould be proceeded a- A Claufe gainft, as having Arrested the Servant of an Am- added by baffador or publick Minifter by virtue of this Act, the Com"unless the Name of fuch Servant be first regiftred mons to the ' in the Office of one of the principal Secretaries of State, and by fuch Secretary tranfmitted to the Sheriffs of London and Middlefex, who fhall hang up the fame in fome publick Place in their Offices, &c. And order'd the Bill to be Engroffed. The Foreign Minifters having alfo procurd a Copy of this laft Clause, held another Affembly at the Baron de Spanheim's Houfe, at which the Earl of Sunderland affifting: They reprefented to him, ⚫ That the exacting Lifts of Foreign Minifters Ser- Excepted a vants was a thing unpractifed in other Courts, gaint by ' and liable to feveral Inconveniencies; And defi- foreign Mi red befides, That the Lord-Chamberlain of Her nifters. Majefty's Houfhold might be added to the Num'ber of the Perfons appointed by this Bill, to take Cognizance of the Offences committed against the Privileges of Foreign Minifters, and to inflict fuch Punishments as they fhall judge fit. But the Parliament did not think fit to make thefe Alterations. Bill. On the 14th of March the Commons, in a grand Committee, took into confideration the Report of Refolutions the Lord-High-Treafurer, made upon the Addrefs to of the ComHer Majefty the 18th Day of March 1706, relating mons about to the People of Nevis and St. Christophers, and re- Nevis and folv'd, That it did appear that the Loffes they had St.Chrifto. fuftain'd phers. Y 4 A. C. 170. Trade to fuftain'd by the late Invasion by the French, did amount to upwards of 300000 Pounds. 2. That it would be for the Advantage of the Trade of Great Britain, that the Inhabitants of the faid Inlands be enabled to refettle there. Thefe Refolutions being on the 18th reported, were agreed to by the Houfe; and at the fame time a Motion was made, that a Supply be granted for enabling the faid Inhabitants to refettle in thofe Islands; which on the 21st, in a grand Committee, was carried in the Affirmative. And on the 25th likewife in a grand Committee, it was refolved, That the Sum of one hundred and three thousand two hundred ' and three Pounds, eleven Shillings and four Pence, be granted for the Ufe of fuch Proprietors or Inhabitants only of Nevis and St. Chriftophers, who were Sufferers by the late French Invafion there, and who fhall refettle, or cause to be refettled their Plantations in the faid Islands: Which Refolution was, on the 6th of April, reported, and 'agreed to by the Houfe, ་ Refolutions On the 17th of March Mr. Ward reported from the about the Committee of the whole House, that they had come to these Resolutions. Ift, That the Trade to Africa is very advantagious to Great Britain, and neceffary to the Plantations thereunto belonging. 2dly, That 'the faid Trade ought to be free to all Her Majefty's Subjects in a regulated Company, under fuch Rules and Provifions as may be for the Prefervation of the faid Trade, and Maintaining fuch Forts and Caftles as are neceffary for that purpose: Which Refolutions were agreed to by the House, and a Bill order'd to be brought in pursuant to the fame: But this Bill met with Obftructions which hinder'd its paffing through that House. (d) March 22. Address a bout the Commifioners of the Equivalent. с Five Days (d) after, the Commons refolv'd to addrefs Her Majefty, That in regard the greateft part of the Money paid to Scotland by way of Equivalent, was already iffued out to the feveral ( Perfons having Intereft therein: Therefore, that Her Majefty be gracioufly pleafed to give Directions for reducing the Number of the Commiffioners for managing the fame for the future, as Her Majefty in Her great Wisdom fhould think fit; With which Addrefs her Majefty readily comply'd. The |