the
grants they had made, after the current service was
provided for, should be applicable to the payment of the
debts contracted by the war: and, that it should be
lawful for their majesties to make use of five hundred
thousand pounds out of the said grants, on condition of
that sum being repaid from the revenue.--_Ralph_.

{WILLIAM AND MARY, 1688--1701.}

PETITION OF THE TORIES.

Notwithstanding the act for reversing the proceedings against the city
charter, the whigs had made shift to keep possession of the magistracy:
Pilkington continued mayor, and Eobinson retained the office of
chamberlain. The tories of the city, presuming upon their late services,
presented a petition to the house of commons, complaining, That the
intent of the late act of parliament, for reversing the judgment on the
quo warranto, was frustrated by some doubtful expression; so that the
old aldermen elected by commission under the late king's great seal
still acted by virtue of that authority: that sir Thomas Pilkington
was not duly returned as mayor by the common-hall: and, that he and
the aldermen had imposed Mr. Leonard Eobinson upon them as chamberlain,
though another person was duly elected into that office: that divers
members of the common-council were illegally excluded, and others, duly
elected, were refused admittance. They specified other grievances, and
petitioned for relief. Pilkington and his associates undertook to prove
that those allegations were either false or frivolous; and presented the
petition as a contrivance of the Jacobites to disturb the peace of the
city, that the supply might be retarded and the government distressed.
In the late panic which overspread the nation, the whigs had appeared
to be the monied men, and subscribed largely for the security of the
settlement they had made, while the tories kept aloof with a suspicious
caution. For this reason the court now interposed its influence in such
a manner, that little or no regard was paid to their remonstrance.

ATTEMPT AGAINST CARMARTHEN.

The marquis of Caermarthen, lord president, who was at the head of the
tory interest in the ministry, and had acquired great credit with the
king and queen, now fell under the displeasure of the opposite faction:
and they resolved if possible to revive his old impeachment. The earl of
Shrewsbury, and thirteen other leading men, had engaged in this design