tion;
and they resolved, That the procuring or passing exorbitant grants by
any member now of the privy council, or by any other that had been a
privy councillor in this or any former reign, to his use or benefit, was
a high crime or misdemeanor. That justice might be done to purchasers
and creditors in the act of resumption, thirteen trustees were
authorized and empowered to hear and determine all claims relating
to those estates, to sell them to the best purchasers; and the money
arising from the sale was appropriated to pay the arrears of the army.
It passed under the title of a bill for granting an aid to his majesty
by the sale of forfeited and other estates and interests in Ireland;
and that it might undergo no alteration in the house of lords, it was
consolidated with the money-bill for the service of the year. In the
house of lords it produced warm debates; and some alterations were made
which the commons unanimously rejected. They seemed to be now more than
ever exasperated against the ministry, and ordered a list of the privy
council to be laid before the house. The lords demanded conferences,
which served only to exasperate the two houses against each other;
for the peers insisted upon their amendments, and the commons were so
provoked at their interfering in a money-bill, that they determined to
give a loose to their resentment. They ordered all the doors of their
house to bo shut that no members should go forth. Then they took into
consideration the report of the Irish forfeitures, with the list of the
privy councillors; and a question was moved, That an address should be
made to his majesty to remove John lord Somers, chancellor of England,
from his presence and councils for ever. This however was carried in the
negative by a great majority. The king was extremely chagrined at the
bill, which he considered as an invasion of his prerogative, an insult
on his person, and an injury to his friends and servants; and he at
first resolved to hazard all the consequences of refusing to pass it
into a law; but he was diverted from his purpose by the remonstrances of
those in whom he chiefly confided.* He could not, however, dissemble his
resentment. He became sullen, peevish, and morose; and his enemies did
not fail to make use of this additional ill humour as a proof of his
aversion to the English people. Though the motion against the chancellor
had miscarried, the commons resolved to address his majesty that no
per