the lord chancellor.
As he was supposed to have brought over proposals of peace, the two
houses, in an address, desired the queen would insist on the demolition
of Dunkirk, which was a nest of pirates that infested the ocean, and
did infinite prejudice to the commerce of England. The queen promised
to comply with their request. But she was not a little surprised at the
next address they presented, humbly entreating, that she would have
such indulgence to the hearty desires of her subjects, as to entertain
thoughts of a second marriage. She told them, that the provision she had
made for the protestant succession would always be a proof how much she
had at heart the future happiness of the kingdom; but the subject of
this address was of such a nature, that she was persuaded they did not
expect a particular answer.

{1709}

DISPUTES ABOUT THE MUSCOVITE AMBASSADOR COMPROMISED.

The laws having been found insufficient to punish capitally the authors
of the insult offered to the Muscovite ambassador, a bill was brought
into the house of commons for preserving the privileges of ambassadors
and other foreign ministers; and passed through both houses, as did
another, to prevent the laying of wagers relating to the public, a
practice which had been carried to a degree of infatuation; and by
which many unwary persons fell a sacrifice to crafty adventurers. On the
fourteenth day of March, the commons voted the sum of one hundred and
three thousand, two hundred and three pounds, for the relief of the
inhabitants of Nevis and St. Christopher's, who had suffered by the
late invasion; and on the twenty-first day of April, the parliament was
prorogued. The Muscovite ambassador continued to write expostulatory
letters to Mr. Secretary Boyle, who at last owned that the laws of the
kingdom did not admit of such punishment as he demanded. An information
was tried in the court of king's bench for her majesty against Thomas
Morton, laceman, and thirteen other persons concerned in the insult, of
which they were found guilty; and the special matter of the privileges
of ambassadors was to be argued next term before the judges. Meanwhile,
the queen, by way of satisfaction to the czar, condescended to make
solemn excuses by her ambassador; to repair Matueof's honour by a
letter, and indemnify him for all his costs and damages: concessions
with which the czar and his ambassador declared themselves well
satisfied. The convocation had been s