prepared in the house of lords, enjoining the
subjects to wear the woollen manufacture at certain seasons of the year,
a petition was presented against it by the silk-weavers of London and
Canterbury, assembled in a tumultuous manner at Westminster. The
lords refused their petition, because this was an unusual manner of
application. They were persuaded to return to their respective places
of abode; precautions were taken against a second riot; and the bill was
unanimously rejected in the upper house. This parliament passed an act,
vesting in the two universities the presentations belonging to papists:
those of the southern counties being given to Oxford; and those of
the northern to Cambridge, on certain specified conditions, Courts of
conscience were erected at Bristol, Gloucester, and Newcastle; and that
of the marches of Wales was abolished as an intolerable oppression. The
protestant clergymen, who had been forced to leave their benefices in
Ireland, were rendered capable of holding any living in England, without
forfeiting their title to their former preferment, with the proviso that
they should resign their English benefices when restored to 'those
they had been obliged to relinquish. The statute of Henry IV. against
multiplying gold and silver was now repealed; the subjects were allowed
to melt and refine metals and ores, and extract gold and silver from
them, on condition that it should be brought to the Mint, and converted
into money, the owners receiving its full value in current coin. These,
and several other bills of smaller importance being passed, the two
houses adjourned to the twentieth clay of September, and afterwards to
the nineteenth day of October.

CHAPTER II.

_Duke of Schomberg lands with an Army in Ireland..... The
Inniskilliners obtain a Victory over the Irish.....
Schomberg censured for his Inactivity..... The French
worsted at Walcourt..... Success of the Confederates in
Germany..... The Turks defeated at Pacochin, Nissa, and
Widen..... Death of Pope Innocent XI..... .King William
becomes unpopular..... A good Number of the Clergy refuse to
take the Oaths..... The King grants a Commission for
reforming Church Discipline..... Meeting of the
Convocation..... Their Session discontinued by repeated
Prorogations..... Proceedings in Parliament..... The Whigs
obstruct the Bill of Indemnity..... The Commons resume the
Inquir