tial and try them for
cowardice. Hudson, of the Pendennis, died before his trial: Kirby
and Wade were convicted, and sentenced to be shot: Constable, of the
Windsor, was cashiered and imprisoned: Vincent, of the Falmouth, and
Fogg, the admiral's own captain of the Breda, were convicted of having
signed a paper that they would not fight under Benbow's command; but as
they behaved gallantly in the action, the court inflicted upon them no
other punishment than that of a provisional suspension. Captain Walton
had likewise joined in the conspiracy while he was heated with the fumes
of intoxication, but he afterwards renounced the engagement, and fought
with admirable courage until his ship was disabled. The boisterous
manner of Benbow had produced this base confederacy. He was a rough
seamen; but remarkably brave, honest, and experienced. [112] _[See note
S, at the end of this Vol.]_ He took this miscarriage so much to heart,
that he became melancholy, and his grief co-operating with the fever
occasioned by his wounds, put a period to his life. Wade and Kirby were
sent home in the Bristol; and, on their arrival at Plymouth, shot on
board of the ship, by virtue of a dead warrant for their immediate
execution, which had lain there for some time. The same precaution had
been taken in all the western ports, in order to prevent applications in
their favour.

{ANNE, 1701--1714}

A NEW PARLIAMENT.

During these transactions the queen seemed to be happy in the affection
of her subjects. Though the continuance of the parliament was limited
to six months after the king's decease, she dissolved it by proclamation
before the term was expired; and issued writs for electing another,
in which the tory interest predominated. In the summer the queen gave
audience to the count de Platens, envoy-extraordinary from the elector
of Hanover; then she made a progress with her husband to Oxford, Bath,
and Bristol, where she was received with all the marks of the most
genuine affection. The new parliament meeting on the twentieth day
of October, Mr. Harley was chosen speaker. The queen in her speech,
declared that she had summoned them to assist her in carrying on the
just and necessary war in which the nation was engaged. She desired the
commons would inspect the accounts of the public receipts and payments,
that if any abuses had crept into the management of the finances, they
might be detected and the offenders punished. She told them tha