able, that
nothing but some unforeseen event could alter or diminish it; a
circumstance that afforded the fairest prospect of seeing the old debts
discharged without any necessity of incurring new incumbrances.

This answer, fraught with many other expressions of fatherly tenderness
for his people, paved the way for a message to the house, demanding
a vote of credit to fulfil certain engagements entered into, and
concerted, with the advice and concurrence of the last parliament, for
securing the trade and navigation of the kingdom, and for restoring
and preserving the peace of Europe. Though a debate ensued upon this
message, the majority resolved that an address should be presented
to his majesty, declaring the duty and fidelity of the commons, their
entire confidence in his royal care and goodness, and their readiness
to enable his majesty to fulfil his engagements, A vote of credit passed
accordingly. During this session, the peers were chiefly employed
in examining copies of several treaties and alliances which the king
submitted to their perusal; they likewise prepared a bill for amending
the statute of limitation, which, however, did not pass into a law;
they considered the state of the national debt, a subject fruitful of
debates; they passed the mutiny bill, and those that were sent up from
the commons touching the supplies; together with an act obliging ships
arriving from infected places, to perform quarantine; and some others of
a more private nature. These bills having received the royal assent, the
king closed the session on the twenty-eighth day of May, when he
thanked the commons for the effectual supplies they had raised, and,
in particular, for having empowered him to borrow five hundred thousand
pounds for the discharge of wages due to the seamen employed in the
navy.

A DOUBLE MARRIAGE BETWEEN THE HOUSES OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL.

England was at this period quite barren of remarkable events. The king's
uncle, Ernest Augustus, prince of Brunswick, duke of York, and bishop
of Osnabruck, died on the third day of August, and was succeeded in
the bishopric by the elector Cologn, according to the pactum by which
Osnabruck is alternately possessed by the house of Brunswick and that
elector. In the beginning of December, his majesty's eldest son prince
Frederick arrived in England from Hanover, where he had hitherto
resided, was introduced into the privy-council, and created prince of
Wales. Signior Com