Wales for king of
England. They assured his majesty they would assist him to the utmost
of their power against all his enemies: and when it should please God
to deprive them of his majesty's protection, they would vigorously
assist and defend against the pretended prince of Wales, and all other
pretenders whatsoever, every person and persons who had right to
succeed to the crown of England by virtue of the acts of parliament for
establishing and limiting the succession. On the fifth day of January.
an address to the same effect was presented by the commons, and both met
with a very gracious reception from his majesty. The lords, as a further
proof of their zeal, having taken into consideration the dangers that
threatened Europe, from the accession of the duke of Anjou to the crown
of Spain, drew up another address explaining their sense of that danger;
stigmatizing the French king as a violator of treaties; declaring their
opinion that his majesty, his subjects, and allies, could never be
safe and secure until the house of Austria should be restored to their
rights, and the invader of the Spanish monarchy brought to reason; and
assuring his majesty that no time should be lost, nor any thing wanting
on their parts, which might answer the reasonable expectations of
their friends abroad; not doubting but to support the reputation of
the English name, when engaged under so great a prince, in the glorious
cause of maintaining the liberty of Europe.

The king, in order to awake the confidence of the commons, ordered
Mr. secretary Vernon to lay before them copies of the treaties and
conventions he had lately concluded, which were so well approved that
the house unanimously voted the supply. By another vote they authorized
the exchequer to borrow six hundred thousand pounds at six per cent, for
the service of the fleet, and fifty thousand pounds for the subsistence
of guards and garrisons. They deliberated upon the state of the navy,
with the debt due upon it, and examined an estimate of what would be
necessary for extraordinary repairs. They called for an account of that
part of the national debt for which no provision had been made. The
ordered the speaker to write to the trustees for the forfeited estates
in Ireland, to attend the house with a full detail of their proceedings
in the execution of that act of parliament. On the ninth day of January,
they unanimously resolved, That leave be given to bring in a bill for
securing