ure, or for any number
of years, or any office in part, or in the whole, held for them, or for
their benefit, by any persons whatsoever; and that they would not accept
any such pensions or offices, without signifying the same to the house
within fourteen days after they should be received or accepted. The
bill was vindicated as just and necessary by the earls of Winchelsea and
Strafford, lord Bathurst, and lord Carteret, who had by this time joined
as an auxiliary in the opposition. [237] _[See note 2 K, at the end of
this Vol.]_

{1731}

TREATY OF VIENNA.

The house of peers proceeded to consider the state of the national debt:
they read a bill for the free importation of wool from Ireland into
England, which was fiercely opposed, and laid aside, contrary to all the
rules of sound policy. They passed the bill for carrying on proceedings
at law in the English language; and a fruitless motion was made by lord
Bathurst for an address, to desire his majesty would give directions for
discharging the Hessian troops that were in the pay of Great Britain. On
the seventh day of May the parliament was prorogued, after the king had
given them to understand that all apprehensions of war were now happily
removed, by a treaty signed at Vienna between him and the emperor. He
said it was communicated to the courts of France and Spain, as parties
to the treaty of Seville, the execution of which it principally
regarded; and that it likewise was submitted to the consideration of the
states-general. He observed, that the conditions and engagements into
which he had entered on this occasion were agreeable to that necessary
concern which the British nation must always have for the security and
preservation of the balance of power in Europe; and that this happy
turn, duly improved with a just regard to former alliances, yielded a
favourable prospect of seeing the public tranquillity re-established.

DEATH OF THE DUKE OF PARMA.

In the month of January the duke of Parma died, after having made a
will, in which he declared his duchess was three months advanced in her
pregnancy; entreating the allied powers of Europe to have compassion
upon his people, and defer the execution of their projects until his
consort should be delivered. In case the child should be still-born, or
die after the birth, he bequeathed his dominions and allodial estates to
the infant Don Carlos of Spain; and appointed five regents to govern
the duchy. No