on
should be ratified in the most solemn manner by the states of France;
but she afterwards waived this demand, in consideration of its being
registered in the different parliaments. Such forms are but slender
securities against the power, ambition, and interest of princes. The
marquis de Torcy frankly owned, that Philip's renunciation was of itself
void, as being contrary to the fundamental laws and constitution of the
French monarchy; but it was found necessary for the satisfaction of the
English people. Every material article being now adjusted between
the two courts, particularly those relating to the king of Spain, the
commerce of Great Britain, and the delivery of Dunkirk, a suspension
of arms prevailed in the Netherlands, and the duke of Ormond acted in
concert with mareschal de Villars.

THE QUEEN COMMUNICATES THE PLAN OF THE PEACE TO PARLIAMENT.

On the sixth day of June, the queen going to the house of peers
communicated the plan of peace to her parliament, according to the
promise she had made. After having premised that the making peace
and war was the undoubted prerogative of the crown, and hinted at the
difficulties which had arisen both from the nature of the affair, and
numberless obstructions contrived by the enemies of peace, she proceeded
to enumerate the chief articles to which both crowns had agreed,
without, however, concluding the treaty. She told them she had secured
the protestant succession, which France had acknowledged in the
strongest terms; and that the pretender would be removed from the French
dominions; that the duke of Anjou should renounce for himself and his
descendants all claim to the crown of France; so that the two monarchies
would be for ever divided. She observed, that the nature of this
proposal was such as would execute itself; that it would be the
interest of Spain to support the renunciation; and in France, the
persons entitled to the succession of that crown upon the death of the
dauphin, were powerful enough to vindicate their own right. She gave
them to understand that a treaty of commerce between England and France
had been begun, though not yet adjusted; but provision was made, that
England should enjoy the same privileges that France granted to the most
favoured nation; that the French king had agreed to make an absolute
cession of the island of St. Christopher's, which had hitherto been
divided between the two nations, that he had also consented to
restore the