Joseph Jekyll, and Mr. Lechmere stood forth in defence of the Bishop in the Commons; but the House heeded them not, and by a majority of 119 to 53 resolved that "the said Preface is malicious and factious" and that it "be burnt by the hands of the common hangman upon Thursday next (Junę the 12th) at twelve of the clock in Palace Yard, Westminster."

Fortified by this spirit in both the Houses, the Ministers, immediately upon the Queen's speech of the 6th of June and the Addresses in reply, concluded an armistice with France, limited however to the space of two months and to the sphere of the Low Countries only. Orders were sent accordingly to Ormond to separate his army from Eugene's, and refraining from further warfare fall back and take quiet possession of Dunkirk. But Eugene and the Dutch Deputies, anticipating a course of this kind, had to some extent provided against it. They had addressed themselves in secret to the chiefs of the auxiliary troops in British pay, and had so successfully wrought upon their military ardour as to make them engage, that if Ormond should depart they would remain even against his orders and look elsewhere for their pay. When therefore the Duke did announce to his colleague the cessation of arms and broke up from his camp at Cateau Cambresis, he had the mortification to be followed only by the 12,000 men to which the English force was now reduced, together with four battalions of Holstein and one regiment of dragoons from Liege. Nor did his disappointments end here. As he marched back, the Dutch governors of Bouchain, Tournay, and Douay closed their gates against him; and Ormond thereupon, as if in reprisal, took possession of Ghent and Bruges in the name of the Queen. He was now

at hand and ready to throw also an English garrison. into Dunkirk, but the King of France declaring that the question had been altered by the stubbornness of the British stipendiaries, appeared to hesitate, and delayed for some time the surrender of that fortress.

Even after the separation from Ormond, the army of Eugene was still in its numbers slightly superior to the French. The Prince might still hope to prevail in the campaign. But this separation between gallant soldiers who had so long fought beneath the same banners, and had achieved so many triumphs shoulder to shoulder, was felt as a deep grief by all. A common Serjeant in the British ranks who was present has in homely but impressive language described the scene: "As they marched off that day both sides looked very dejectfully on each other, neither being permitted to speak to the other to prevent reflections that might thereby arise."2

Some strong reasons there were certainly to urge for such a course. As St. John said in one of his despatches to Ormond, "the Queen cannot think with patience of sacrificing men, when there is a fair prospect of attaining her purpose another way." But even allowing the utmost weight to these considerations, we may still deplore the crooked policy which estranged us from our old Allies. We may acknowledge that this secession of the English troops with the enemy before them was painful and humiliating to all among them who thought of their former exploits achieved on the same plains.

The Session of Parliament, which had been protracted to a most unusual length, was closed by adjournment on the 21st of June and by prorogation on

2 Narrative of Serjeant Milner, p. 356, as cited by Coxe.

the 8th of July. Immediately upon the last event St. John was raised to the peerage—a reward which had been for some months past intended for him, but delayed to enable him to carry through the business of the Session in the House of Commons. There was an Earldom of Bolingbroke in his family, which had become extinct only a year before, and it was this that St. John desired to revive. But Oxford, to mark his own supremacy in the Cabinet, insisted with the Queen that St. John should receive no higher rank than that of Viscount; and Viscount Bolingbroke he was made accordingly. To mark this supremacy in another manner also, Oxford a few weeks later received from the Queen-or to speak more truly gave himself—the Order of the Garter. He was now at the very summit of honors.

Early in August the new Viscount set out for France, to settle if he could by his presence the points in the negotiation that were still depending. He took with him both Prior and Gaultier. There were great marks of honor shown him on his way from Calais; and at Paris he was welcomed in a manner beseeming both his splendid talents and his eminent post. At nine o'clock one Sunday morning he was presented to the King at Fontainebleau and most graciously received. During his stay of about one fortnight at Paris he appears to have divided his time most impartially between business and pleasure. He brought to a decision several controverted questions in the terms of peace; and he paid court-and not without success-to the beautiful Countess de Parabère. It was agreed be

3. Madame de Parabère after- of the Regent Duke of Orleans. wards became the favourite mistress His mother the Dowager Duchess

tween Bolingbroke and Torcy that Sicily should at the peace be ceded to the Duke of Savoy, who might then with the assent of all the Powers take the title of King. It was agreed that this Prince and his family should be named in succession to the Crown of Spain and the Indies, failing the descendants of Philip. It was further agreed, after many and warm attempts on the part of Torcy to extort a contrary decision, that England should stand free of any pledge or promise to obtain the restoration of the Elector of Bavaria.

The conditions of a treaty being thus far adjusted, Bolingbroke and Torcy signed a suspension of arms for four months, a term afterwards prolonged, and which was not, like the former, confined to the armies in the Netherlands but extending to all parts of the world both by land and sea. From this moment it may be said that in effect peace was re-established between the two nations, although minor matters, some unexpectedly arising, impeded its conclusion for months to

come.

case

In these negotiations with France and Spain, the of the Catalans, betrayed by the English Ministers, and left unaided to the vengeance of Castille, forms, among many dark blots, perhaps the darkest in the political career of Bolingbroke. But I shall say nothing further of it at this place, since― together with its results extending far beyond the Peace of Utrechtit is fully detailed elsewhere.1

calls her "la Sultane Reine," and adds a minute description of her charms. (Corresp. vol. i. p. 239, ed. Brunet.) I have seen only one portrait of her, an exquisite VOL. II.

miniature, now in the collection of Earl Beauchamp at Madresfield Court.

History of England from the Peace of Utrecht, vol. i. p. 99–105,

T

The departure of the Pretender from France, so positively promised, had been accidentally delayed. Both he and his sister, the Princess Louisa, had fallen ill of the small pox. The young Princess died early in May, to the great grief of her family; and the Prince only regained his strength by slow degrees. On this plea, and even beyond his convalescence, he still lingered in the French capital, or near it. Bolingbroke always declared that he had no communication with him during his stay at Paris, and saw him only once, which was at the Opera, at a great distance across the house. At length, on the 7th of September, James, being warmly pressed by Torcy, did commence his journey, but he proceeded only to Chalons-sur-Marne, still within the French dominions.

5

When Bolingbroke set out from Paris, on his return to England, he had left Prior with a letter of credence as Chargé d'Affaires. We find that accomplished man. -the poet, the wit, the politician- even from his outset in the closest intimacy with the leading Ministers. As he reports it to his chief, "I have a thousand compliments to make you. Every night I sup with M. de Torcy en famille.' Madame drinks two healths I have taught her à Harré et à Robin.' Madame de Parabère is very proud of her good fortune."

It was however by no means designed that a man of humble birth and station such as Prior should continue to represent the Queen in France. A man of the highest rank had been selected as Ambassador on either

and for the siege of Barcelona the War of the Succession in Spain, p. 372-390.

Henry Viscount Bolingbroke and Robert Earl of Oxford. Bolingbroke's Correspondence, vol. ii. p.

5 Swift's Works, vol. xvi. p. 297. 33.