d without proof;
and one Sweetman, the most guilty, discharged without prosecution. The
commons spoke more freely in their address; they roundly explained the
abuses and mismanagement of that government, by exposing the protestant
subjects to the free quarter and violence of a licentious army; by
recruiting the troops with Irish papists who had been in open rebellion
against his majesty; by granting protections to Irish Roman-catholics,
whereby the course of the law was stopped; by reversing outlawries for
high treason not comprehended in the articles of Limerick; by letting
the forfeited estates at undervalue, to the prejudice of his majesty's
revenue; by embezzling the stores left in the towns and garrisons by
the late king James, as well as the effects belonging to the forfeited
estates, which might have been employed for the better preservation
of the kingdom; and, finally, by making additions to the articles of
Limerick after the capitulation was signed and the place surrendered.
They most humbly besought his majesty to redress these abuses, which had
greatly encouraged the papists, and weakened the protestant interest in
Ireland. The king graciously received both addresses, and promised
to pay a particular regard to all remonstrances that should come from
either house of parliament; but no material step was taken against the
lords Sidney, Athlone, and Coningsby, who appeared to have engrossed
great part of the forfeitures by grants from the crown; and even
commissioner Culliford, who had been guilty of the most grievous acts of
oppression, escaped with impunity.

{WILLIAM AND MARY, 1688--1701.}

ACCOUNT OF THE PLACE AND TRIENNIAL PARLIAMENT BILLS.

The old whig principle was not yet wholly expelled from the lower house.
The undue influence of the court was exerted in such an open scandalous
manner, as gave offence to the majority of the commons. In the midst of
all their condescension, sir Edward Hussey, member for Lincoln, brought
in a bill touching free and impartial proceedings in parliament. It was
intended to disable all members of parliament from enjoying places of
trust and profit, and particularly levelled against the officers of
the army and navy, who had insinuated themselves into the house in such
numbers, that this was commonly called the officers' parliament. The
bill passed the house of commons, and was sent up to the lords, by whom
it was read a second time and committed; but the ministry em