nt of that Kingdom..... The
Commissioner is abandoned by the Cavaliers..... He is in
Danger of his Life, and suddenly prorogues the
Parliament..... Proceedings of the Irish Parliament.....
They pass a severe Act against Papists..... The Elector of
Bavaria defeats the Imperialists at Scardingen, and takes
Possession of Ratisbon..... The Allies reduce Bonne.....
Battle of Eckeren..... The Prince of Hesse is defeated by
the French at Spirebath..... Treaty between the Emperor and
the Duke of Savoy..... The King of Portugal accedes to the
Grand Alliance..... Sir Cloudesley Shovel sails with a Fleet
to the Mediterranean..... Admiral Graydon's bootless
Expedition to the West Indies..... Charles King of Spain
arrives in England._

{ANNE, 1701--1714}

ANNE SUCCEEDS TO THE THRONE.

William was succeeded as sovereign of England by Anne princess of
Denmark, who ascended the throne in the thirty-eighth year of her age,
to the general satisfaction of all parties. Even the Jacobites
seemed pleased with her elevation, on the supposition that as in all
probability she would leave no heirs of her own body, the dictates of
natural affection would induce her to alter the succession in favour of
her own brother. She had been taught to cherish warm sentiments of the
tories, whom she considered as the friends of monarchy, and the
true sons of the church; and they had always professed an inviolable
attachment to her person and interest; but her conduct was wholly
influenced by the countess of Marlborough, a woman of an imperious
temper and intriguing genius, who had been intimate with the princess
from her tender years, and gained a surprising ascendancy over her. Anne
had undergone some strange vicissitudes of fortune in consequence of
her father's expulsion, and sustained a variety of mortifications in the
late reign, during which she conducted herself with such discretion
as left little or no pretence for censure or resentment. Such conduct
indeed was in a great measure owing to a natural temperance of
disposition not easily ruffled or inflamed. She was zealously devoted to
the church of England, from which her father had used some endeavours
to detach her before the Revolution; and she lived in great harmony with
her husband, to whom she bore six children, all of whom she had
already survived. William had no sooner yielded up his breath, than the
privy-council in a