princesses Anne
and Amelia.

On that very day the university of Oxford, in full convocation,
unanimously conferred the degree of doctor of civil law on sir
Constantine Phipps, with particular marks of honour and esteem. As the
French king was said to protract the demolition of Dunkirk, Mr. Prior
received orders to present a memorial to hasten this work, and to
prevent the canal of Mardyke from being finished. The answer which he
received being deemed equivocal, this minister was recalled, and the
earl of Stair appointed ambassador to the court of France, where he
prosecuted this affair with uncommon vigour. About the same time
general Cadogan was sent as plenipotentiary to Antwerp, to assist at
the barrier-treaty, negotiated there between the emperor and the
states-general.

PRETENDER'S MANIFESTO.

Meanwhile the number of malcontents in England was considerably
increased by the king's attachment to the whig faction. The clamour
of the church's being in danger was revived; jealousies were excited;
seditious libels dispersed; and dangerous tumults raised in different
parts of the kingdom. Birmingham, Bristol, Chippenham, Norwich, and
Reading, were filled with licentious riot. The party cry was, "Down with
the whigs! Sacheverel for ever!" Many gentlemen of the whig faction were
abused; magistrates in towns, and justices in the country, were reviled
and insulted by the populace in the execution of their office. The
pretender took this opportunity to transmit, by the French mail, copies
of a printed manifesto to the dukes of Shrewsbury, Marlborough, Argyle,
and other noblemen of the first distinction. In this declaration he
mentioned the good intentions of his sister towards him, which were
prevented by her deplorable death. He observed that his people, instead
of doing him and themselves justice, had proclaimed for their king a
foreign prince, contrary to the fundamental and incontestable laws of
hereditary right, which their pretended acts of settlement could never
abrogate. These papers being delivered to the secretaries of state, the
king refused an audience to the marquis de Lamberti, minister from the
duke of Lorraine, on the supposition that this manifesto could not have
been prepared or transmitted without the knowledge and countenance of
his master. The marquis having communicated this circumstance to
the duke, that prince absolutely denied his having been privy to the
transaction, and declared that