religion of Rome, and consequently
averse to a new creation that would weaken the catholic interest in the
electoral college. He therefore employed his emissaries to thwart the
duke's measures. Some protestant princes opposed him from motives of
jealousy, and the French king used all his artifice and influence
to prevent the elevation of the house of Hanover. When the duke had
surmounted all this opposition, so far as to gain over a majority of
the electors, new objections were started. The emperor suggested that
another popish electorate should be created to balance the advantage
which the Lutherans would reap from that of Hanover; and he proposed
that Austria should be raised to the same dignity; but violent
opposition was made to this expedient, which would have vested the
emperor with a double vote in the electoral college. At length, after
a tedious negotiation, the duke of Hanover, on the nineteenth day of
December, was honoured with the investiture as elector of Brunswick;
created great marshal of the empire, and did homage to the emperor:
nevertheless, he was not yet admitted into the college, because he had
not been able to procure the unanimous consent of all the electors.*

* In the beginning of September the shock of an earthquake
was felt in London, and many other parts of England, as well
as in France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Violent
agitations of the same kind had happened about two months
before in Sicily and Malta; and the town of Port-Royal in
Jamaica was almost totally ruined by the earthquake: the
place was so suddenly overflowed, that about fifteen hundred
persons perished.

CHAPTER IV.

_False Information against the Earl of Marlborough, the
Bishop of Rochester, and others..... Sources of National
Discontent..... Dissension between the Queen and the
Prince's Anne of Denmark..... The House of Lords vindicate
their Privileges in behalf of their imprisoned Members.....
The Commons present Addresses to The King and Queen.....
They acquit Admiral Russel, and resolve to advise his
Majesty..... They comply with all the Demands of the
Ministry..... The Lords present an Address of Advice to the
King..... The Dispute between the Lords and Commons
concerning Admiral Russel..... The Commons address the
King..... They establish the Land tax and other
Impositions..... Burnet's Pastoral Letter