and dreading the resentment
of the other party, retired to the continent. The conspirators loudly
complained of the false imputations they had incurred. The pretended
discoveries were looked upon as fictions of the ministry, and the king
on this occasion suffered greatly in the opinion of his subjects.

{WILLIAM AND MARY, 1688--1701.}

DEBATES ABOUT THE CORPORATION BILLS.

The tories still continued to carry on a secret negotiation with the
court. They took advantage of the ill-humour subsisting between the
king and the whigs; and promised large supplies of money provided this
parliament should be dissolved and another immediately convoked. The
opposite party, being apprized of their intention, brought a bill into
the house of commons for restoring corporations to their ancient rights
and privileges. They knew their own strength at elections consisted
in these corporations; and they inserted two additional severe clauses
against those who were in any shape concerned in surrendering charters.
The whole power of the tories was exerted against this clause; and now
the whigs vied with them in making court to his majesty, promising to
manifest the most submissive obedience should this bill be enacted into
a law. The strength of the tories was now become so formidable to
the house, that they out-voted the other party, and the clauses were
rejected; but the bill passed in its original form. The lords debated
upon the point, Whether a corporation could be forfeited or surrendered?
Lord chief justice Holt and two other judges declared their opinion in
the affirmative: the rest thought otherwise, as no precedents could be
produced farther back than the reign of Henry VIII. when the abbeys were
surrendered; and this instance seemed too violent to authorize such a
measure in a regular course of administration. The bill, however, passed
by one voice only. Then both parties quickened their applications to the
king, who found himself so perplexed and distracted between two factions
which he equally feared, that he resolved to leave the government in the
queen's hands and retire to Holland. He communicated this design to the
marquis of Carmarthen, the earl of Shrewsbury, and some other noblemen,
who pressed him to lay aside his resolution, and even mingled tears with
their remonstrances.

THE KING RESOLVES TO FINISH THE IRISH WAR IN PERSON.

He at length complied with their request, and determined to finish the
Irish