norant of all his
treasonable connexions, notwithstanding some endeavours that were made
to engage him in an accusation of that minister.

The queen had refused to admit the earl of Peterborough into her
presence until he should have vindicated his conduct, of which king
Charles had complained in divers letters. He was eagerly desirous of a
parliamentary inquiry. His military proceedings, his negotiations,
his disposal of the remittances, were taken into consideration by both
houses; but he produced such a number of witnesses and original papers
to justify every transaction, that his character triumphed in the
inquiry, which was dropped before it produced any resolution in
parliament. Then they took cognizance of the state of affairs in Spain,
and found there had been a great deficiency in the English troops at
the battle of Almanza. This, however, was explained so much to their
satisfaction, that they voted an address to the queen, thanking her
for having taken measures to restore the affairs in Spain, and provide
foreign troops for that service. The bill for rendering the union more
complete, met with a vigorous opposition in the house of lords from the
court-party, on account of the clause enacting, that, after the first
of May, there should be but one privy-council in the kingdom of Great
Britain. The ministry, finding it was strenuously supported by all
the tories and a considerable number of the other faction, would have
compromised the difference, by proposing that the privy-council of
Scotland should continue to the first day of October. They hinted this
expedient, in hope of being able to influence the ensuing elections;
but their design being palpable, the motion was overruled, and the bill
received the royal assent: a court of exchequer, however, was erected in
Scotland upon the model of that in England. The execution of Gregg, and
the examination of Valiere and Bara, who had acted as smugglers to the
coast of France, under the protection of Harley, to whom they engaged
for intelligence, affected the credit of that minister, who was
reviled and traduced by the emissaries of the whig party. The duke of
Marlborough and the earl of Godolphin, being apprised of his secret
practices with Mrs. Masham, wrote to the queen that they could serve her
no longer, should Mr. Harley continue in the post of secretary. Being
summoned to the cabinet-council, they waited on her in person, and
expostulated on the same subject. S