THE

ANNALS

O F

Queen ANNE'sReign.

Year the Eleventh.

The INTRODUCTION.

T

HE Tranfactions of the Eleventh Year A. C. of Her Majefty's Reign, both at Home 1712. and Abroad, fo valtly differ from the Events related before in the Course of thefe Annals; and the Measures lately purfued feem fo contradictory to former Counfels, that when fucceeeding Generations fhall perufe a faithful Hiftory of both, they will hardly believe it to be the continued Account of the fame Reign and Nation; but rather judge it to be a Narrative of differant Times and various People. This Confi deration must needs render the Profecution of my Annual Task very uneafy and difficult; and might tempt another either to ftop fhort, or to temper glaring Oppofites by adapting, if not the Groundwork, at leaft his Colours to the Humour of the Time he writes in. But Hiftory difdains fuch a base

A. C. Condefcenfion; and for my own part, as I never 1712. Courted Fortune at the Expence of Truth; and, rather than to proftitute my feeble Pen, have expos'd my felf to the Ungenerous, and, I may fay, Ungrateful Resentment of fome Perfons, of whom I had deferv'd better Things; 10, with the help of GOD ALMIGHTY, the Fountain and Affertor of TRUTH, whofe Protection I have hitherto experienc'd, and ftill humbly implore, I fhall continue relating Matters of Fact, with my ufual Sincerity and Impartiality. Thefe, I hope, will blunt and repel the Arrows of Envy and Ma lice; and, at least, fecure to Me the main [Object of my Ambition, viz. the Approbation of all Candid Readers, who will readily allow, that an Hiftorian ought to maintain a perfect Neutrality be tween contending Parties.

ment.

WE fhall begin the Year 1712, where we concluded the laft, by refuming the ProceedProceedings ings in the British Parliament, which were in Parlia profecuted in the preceding Volume of these Annals as far as the 25th of March. The next Day, the Commons, in a grand Committee on Ways and Means to raife the Supply, refolv'd, March 26th That an additional Duty be laid upon the Importation 1712. of all Chequer'd or Strip'd Linnens, and upon the ImDuty on Che-portation of all Linnens, painted, fained or dyed, Strip'd Lin- after the Manufacture, or in the Thread or Yarn,

Ways and
Means,

quer'd or

mens.

before the Manufacture; That the faid additional Duty be after the Rate of Fifteen per Cent. ad Va lorem; That the faid Duty be granted for Thirty Two Years; That one half of the faid Duties be charg'd on all the Stocks of the faid Linnens for Sale. That the Duties upon Bricks, Tyles, Slate and Lime, and Stone made or brought within the Bills of Mortality, to be ufed in Building or Paving, be granted for Thirty Two Years; and that the faid Duties upon Bricks, Tyles, Slate, Lime and Stones, be extended to all Places within Ten Miles of the Cities of London and Weltminster, and granted for the Jaid Term of Thirty Two Years: Which Refolutions were reported and agreed to the 27th. The fame Day the Commons

A. C. 1712.

n

of the Money

Refolutions

about the

Commons refolv❜d to addrefs Her Majelty, that an Account of what Money iffued laft Year, for the Service of the Navy, when it issued, and to what uses the Same had been applied, might be laid before the Addrefs for House; and then, in a Committee of the whole an Account Houfe, they took into Confideration the Trade to fcd for the Africa: And having heard both the feparate Tra- Navy. ders and the Royal African Company, they came to thefe Refolves." 1. That the Trade to Africa "ought to be free to all Her Majesty's Subjects of "Great Britain, and the Plantations, in a regulated Company. 2. That for the preferving, better carrying on, and improving the Trade to Africa, it is neceffary that Forts and Settlements de be maintained, and enlarged on that Coaft. 3. Africa. That the Charge of maintaining the faid Forts. and Settlements, be born out of the faid Trade. 4. That it is necaffary the Contracts already inade with the Natives be maintained, and other Alliances, from time to time made, for the Enlargement of the Trade to Africa. 5. That the Plantations ought to be fupplied with fuffi'cient Quantities of Negroes at reasonable Rates. 6. That a confiderable Stock is neceffary for the carrying on the Trade to Africa, to the belt Advantage of Her Majefty's Subjects, and for preferving and improving the fame. 7. That it is neceffary an Export of 100000 l. at least, ' in Merchantdize, be annually made from Great Britain to Africa. Thefe Refolutions were, on the laft Day of March, reported to the Houfe by Mr. Farrer,Chairman of the Grand Committee, and the first Six being feverally read a fecond time, were feverally agreed to; but the laft of the faid BillerRefolutions being read a fecond time, and the dered to be Queftion put that the Houfe do agree with the brought in Committee in the faid Refolution, is pafs'd in the respon Negative After which a Bill was orderd to be brought in upon the Six Refolutions agreed

to.

thereupon.

Three Days before, the Commons, in a Grand March 18. Committee, on Ways and Means to raise the Sup- ways and ply, refolv'd; That a Fund of 168003 1. per Ann. for Thirty Two Years, be charg'd upon,

B 2

Mcans. A Fund for and v.d.

1712.

the Members

A. C. and made payable out of the feveral Duties granted in this Seffion of Parliament, and to be paid upon all Soap, and Paper made in Great Britain, or imported into the fame, and upon all Silks, Callicoes, Linnens, and certain Stuffs, Printed, Painted, Stained or Dyed, and upon Bricks, Tyles, Slate, Lime, and Stones used for Building or Paving, for raifing the Sum of 1800000l. by way of Lottery: Which Refolution was, on the 29th reported and agreed to by the House, and a Bill was order'd to be brought on thereupon, and upon the Refolutions from the Committee of the whole Houfe on Ways and Means, agreed to the 11th, 24th and 27th of March 29. March. The fame † Day, the Houfe being mov'd, that the ftanding Order of the House relating to Protections and written Certificates of the Members might be read; the fame, as entred in the Journal the 31st of March, in the Second Year of the Reign of King William and Queen Mary, Order again was read accordingly, viz. That all Protections and of the Houfe written Certificates of the Members of this Houfe be granting Pro- declared void in Law, and be forthwith withdrawn tections to and called in, and that none be granted for the fuMenial Ser. ure; and that if any shall be granted by any Memvants revi-ber, fuch Member shall be liable to the Cenfure of this Houfe; and that the Priviledge of Members for their Menial Servants be obferv'd according to Law; and that if any Menial Servant shall be arrested or detained contrary to Priviledge, he fhall (upon Complaint thereof made unto the Speaker) be difcharg'd by Order from him: After which it was order'd, That this order be publifh'd, by fetting up the fame in the Lobby of the House Door, at Weftminster Hall Gate, at the feveral Courts of Westminster Hall, and at the Royal Exchange, &c. On Monday the lalt Day of March, the Commons in a Grand Committee on the Supply, refolv'd, That the Sum of 3 289561.16 s.7d. be granted to defray Her Majefty's Proportions of Subfidies payable to the Allies pursuant to Treaties, for the Service of the Year 1712. Secondly, 80000 1. towards defraying the Charge of Tranfporting Land-Forces for the Service of

any but their

ved.

Refolusions on the Sup

the

1712.

the Year 1712. And 3dly. the Sum of 589839 1. A. C. 19 s. 4 d. to make good the Deficiencies of the Grants for the Year 1711. Which Refolutions were on the ft. Day † of April, reported and agreed to by the Houfe.

Agreed to April 17.

the House of

The fame Day, the Commons in a Committee Patronage of the whole Houfe, went through the Bill, To re- Bill goes fore the Patrons to their ancient Rights of Prefenting through Minifters to the Churches vacant in Scotland; and commons. made feveral Amendments to the fame, which were reported and agreed to two Days after; April 3d. and other Amendments being made by the House to the Bill, the fame was Order'd to be engrofs'd.

Means.

On the 4th of April, the Commons in a Com- Refolutions mittee of the whole Houfe on Ways and Means, on Wags and refolv'd to lay a Duty on all Wrought Silks, and upon all fach Stuffs as are made of Silk 'mixt with Incle, Thread, Cotton, or Worsted; and all Stuffs made of, or mixt with Grofgrain-Yarn or Cotton, and upon all manner of Fringes, Tapes, and Wrought Incle, which fhall be imported into Great Britain, except Wrought Silks, Bengalls, and Stuffs of Perfia, China, and the Eat-Indies, and in Thirty diftinct Refolutions, fettled the Rates of the faid Duties on the feveral Stuffs and Manufactures therein mention'd: Which Refolutions were the next * Day reported and agreed to.

Agreed to April 5th

and Hawku

bites.

We may here take Notice, That fome Days before the Prince of Savoy left England, upon occafion of fome Disorders committed in the Nighttime, either by Town-Rakes, or Drunken Soldi- Account of ers; a Report was spread, that there were great the Mohocks Numbers of Perfons difaffected to Her Majefty's Government, who, under the Name of MÓ. HOCKS or HAWKUBITES had com. bined together to disturb the Publick Peace; and in an Inhuman Manner, without any Provocation, af faulted and wounded thofe they met with in the Streets; fitting or flatting People's Nofes, gagging or diftending their Mouths with Iron Inftruments for that pur pofe, running Pins into their Bodies, and committing many other extravigant Cruelties. This Report was