and rejected by
the invincible power of a majority. The uninterrupted success of the
ministry did not, however, prevent them from renewing the struggle as
often as an opportunity offered. They disputed the continuation of the
salt-tax, and the bill for enabling the king to apply the sum of one
million out of the sinking fund for the service of the current year,
though success did not attend their endeavours. They supported with all
their might a bill sent up from the commons, explaining and amending an
act of the Scottish parliament, for preventing wrongous imprisonment,
and against undue delays in trials. This was all the natives of Scotland
had in lieu of the _habeas-corpus_ act; though it did not screen them
from oppression. Yet the earl of Hay undertook to prove they were on a
footing with their neighbours of England in this respect; and the bill
was thrown out on a division. The session was closed on the fifteenth
of May, when the king in his speech to both houses declared that the
plan of pacification, concerted between him and the states-general, had
not produced the desired effect. He thanked the commons for the supplies
they had granted with such cheerfulness and despatch. He signified
his intention to visit his German dominions; and told them he should
constitute the queen regent of the realm in his absence. Immediately
after the prorogation his majesty embarked for Holland, in his way to
Hanover.

MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE COURTS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL.

By this time the good understanding between the courts of Madrid and
Lisbon was destroyed by a remarkable incident. The Portuguese ambassador
at Madrid having allowed his servants to rescue a criminal from the
officers of justice, all the servants concerned in that rescue were
dragged from his house to prison, by the Spanish king's order, with
circumstances of rigour and disgrace. His Portuguese majesty being
informed of this outrage, ordered reprisals to be made upon the servants
of the Spanish ambassador in Lisbon. The two ministers withdrew abruptly
to their respective courts. The two monarchs expressed their mutual
resentment. The king of Spain assembled a body of troops on the
frontiers of Portugal; and his Portuguese majesty had recourse to the
assistance of king George. Don Marcos Antonio d'Alzeveda was despatched
to London with the character of envoy-extraordinary; and succeeded in
his commission according to his wish. In a little time after