mediation prevailed for a peace between the French king and his protestant subjects, and engaged his word, that the protestants should observe the articles of agreement: nevertheless, the king of France, contrary to the said articles, blocked up their towns, garrisons, and forts, and had committed many spoils upon them, when they had done nothing in violation of the edict of peace. And that the king of France had committed an example of great injustice in full peace, to seize upon one hundred and twenty English ships, with all their merchandise and artillery; for which reasons, the king was resolved to send a powerful army and navy to require satisfaction.

On the seven and twentieth of June the duke set sail from Portsmouth, and towards the latter end of July he appeared with his fleet before Rochelle.

(1) From this extract what can you gather concerning the wars in which England was engaged?

(2) What are the reasons here assigned for the French war? Do you consider them adequate?

(3) What reasons can you advance for the other wars in which England was taking part?

(4) Compare the foreign policy here outlined with that of the previous reign, particularly showing which was the more popular.

135. Whereas a traitorous and detestable conspiracy has been formed for subverting the existing laws and constitution and for introducing the system of anarchy and confusion which has so fatally prevailed in France: therefore for the better preservation of His

Majesty's sacred person, and for securing the peace and the laws and liberties of this Kingdom; be it enacted by the king's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that every person or persons that are or shall be in prison within the Kingdom of Great Britain at or upon the day on which this act shall receive His Majesty's royal assent, or after by warrant of His said Majesty's most honourable privy council, signed by six of the said privy council, for high treason, suspicion of high treason, or treasonable practices, or by warrant signed by any of His Majesty's secretaries of state for such causes as aforesaid, may be detained in safe custody, without bail or mainprize, until the first day of February one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five; and that no judge or justice of the peace shall bail or try any such person or persons so committed, without order from His said Majesty's privy council, signed by six of the said privy council, till the said first day of February one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five; any law or statute to the contrary notwithstanding.

What is here enacted, when and why? Is the principle embodied in this act one generally recognised in the English Constitution?

136. Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains

contained in the act made in the first year of King George for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.

What is this? Say what you can of its origin.

137. We are now in the tenth campaign of a war, the great load of which has fallen on Britain, as the great advantage of it is proposed to redound to the House of Austria and to the States-General. They are in interest more immediately, we more remotely concerned. However, what by our forwardness to engage in every article of expense, what by our private assurances, and what by our public parliamentary declarations that no peace should be made without the entire restitution of the Spanish Monarchy, we are become principals in the contest. The war is looked upon as our war, and it is treated accordingly by the confederates, even by the Imperialists and by the Dutch. I will not enter into the particulars; I will only make an observation. If a method of carrying on the war was offered never so prejudicial to the interests of Britain, yet the general topic of necessity prevailed. On the other hand, our allies have always looked first at home, and the common cause has been served by the best of them in the second place. From hence it is that our commerce has been neglected, while the French have engrossed the South Sea trade to themselves, and the Dutch encroach daily upon us, both in the East Indies

and on the coast of Africa. From hence it is that we have every year added to our burden, which was long ago greater than we could bear; whilst the Dutch have yearly lessened their proportions in every part of the war, even in that of Flanders, on the pretence of poverty. Whilst the Emperor has never employed twenty of his 90,000 men against France, on account of the troubles in Hungary, which he would not accommodate, nor has suffered our vast expenses in Italy to be effectual on account of articles in which it did not suit his conveniency to keep his word, and whilst each of the other confederates in his turn has, from some false pretence, or from some trifling consideration of private advantage, neglected to perform his part in the war, or give a reason to others for not performing theirs, from hence it is that our fleet is diminished and rotten, that our funds are mortgaged for thirty-two and ninety-nine years, that our specie is exhausted, and that we have nothing in possession and hardly anything in expectation, as a compensation to Britain for having borne the burden and heat of the day; whilst Holland has obtained a secure and even formidable barrier; and by my Lord Townshend's great generosity has a claim against our claiming any privilege or benefit in point of commerce, wherein they shall not be entitled to an equal share; whilst the House of Austria has everything in hand à la Sicile près, which they proposed by the war, whilst all the allies have had our annual tributes rather than subsidies, besides particular advantages, and some of them are already masters of greater rewards than their services deserve. From hence, in one word, it is that our Government is in a consumption, and that (how florid

a countenance ever we put on) our vitals are consuming, and we must inevitably sink at once.

What war is here referred to?

Tabulate your evidence.

Do you consider this a just view of the conditions of the time? What conclusion do you think the writer intends to draw and why?

138. A. Acts of Parliament to take away the king's royal power in the defence of his kingdom, are void....They are void acts of parliament to bind the king not to command the subjects, their persons and their goods, and I say their money too, for no acts of parliament make any difference.

B. The people of England are under God the original of all just power; that the commons of England in parliament assembled being chosen by and representing the people have the supreme power in this nation; and that whatsoever is declared and enacted for law by the commons in parliament assembled, hath the force of a law, and all the people of this nation are concluded thereby, although the consent and concurrence of the king or House of Peers be not had thereto.

(1) Contrast the doctrines expressed in A and B.

(2) Give suitable occasions when these views could have been expressed.

139. The second grand point in Mr. Turner's husbandry, has been the introduction of clover. The farmers throughout Cleveland have, to this day, rejected the use of that noble vegetable; notwithstanding their