European dominions. The cardinal primate of Poland, who had strenuously
adhered to the prince of Conti, was prevailed upon to acknowledge
Augustus; and the commotions in Lithuania being appeased, peace was
established through all Christendom.

In the beginning of December the king arrived in England, where a new
parliament had been chosen and prorogued on account of his majesty's
absence, which was prolonged by contrary winds and tempestuous weather.
His ministry had been at very little pains to influence the elections,
which generally fell upon men of revolution-principles, though they do
not seem to have been much devoted to the person of their sovereign; yet
their choice of sir Thomas Lyttleton for speaker, seemed to presage a
session favourable to the ministry. The two houses being convened on the
sixth day of December, the king in his speech observed that the safety,
honour, and happiness of the kingdom would in a great measure depend
upon the strength which they should think proper to maintain by sea and
land. He desired they would make some further progress in discharging
the national debt; contrive effectual expedients for employing the poor;
pass good bills for the advancement of trade, and the discouragement of
profaneness; and act with unanimity and despatch. The commons of this
new parliament were so irritated at the king's presuming to maintain
a greater number of troops than their predecessors had voted, that they
resolved he should feel the weight of their displeasure. They omitted
the common compliment of an address; they resolved that all the forces
of England, in English pay, exceeding seven thousand men, should
be forthwith disbanded; as also those in Ireland exceeding twelve
thousand; and that those retained should be his majesty's natural born
subjects. A bill was brought in on these resolutions and prosecuted with
peculiar eagerness, to the unspeakable mortification of king
William, who was not only extremely sensible of the affront, but also
particularly chagrined to see himself disabled from maintaining his
Dutch guards and the regiments of French refugees, to which he was
uncommonly attached. Before the meeting of the parliament, the ministry
gave him to understand that they should be able to procure a vote for
ten or twelve thousand, but they would not undertake for a greater
number. He professed himself dissatisfied with the proposal, observing
that they might as well disband the whole as leave